


creatures we find in the dark

by snakebait



Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, M/M, basicaly supernatural but i wrote it better because i have a brain and dont queerbait, characters will be added as well as ships later on lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-10-02 03:12:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 62,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17256524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snakebait/pseuds/snakebait
Summary: I am a monster,he had whispered to his reflection, mocking himself.Jung Taekwoon is a monster.





	1. chapter 1

Decay.

That was what he could smell. 

He opened his eyes, finding one of them to be sealed shut. His fingers, not quite as number as his arms, touched his eyes, blood having slipped down and kept his left eye closed tightly. He struggled up, only tasting his dry tongue in his mouth and the scent of death hanging around him.

It’s difficult to know where exactly he is. In the back of his head, he knows. He’s always known and he knows this isn’t real. It’s just his mind winding around and stirring him up, getting him thinking. And what better way for him to think than to do what he was made to do?

Humans don’t need to drink blood to survive. Back then, he hadn’t known what he was. Only that he was a monster, one that needed blood of humans or animals to survive. He had been twenty-seven, surviving through the years as he saw many people come and go.

Until, he stopped aging. It had hurt, his neck almost ripped out and his life had been taken from him. He was face down in the snow, thrown away like a corpse and thankfully the freezing temperature had numbed him enough to feel only the dull throb in his neck. Then, he woke up.

Bloody and used, his neck stitching itself back together as if his skin had been doing that his whole life, he stood up. Beaten and bruised, his bones and muscles attaching and fusing into something new, something _dangerous._ He took one step in front of the other, slow yet calculated, learning to walk in a body that suddenly didn’t belong to him, even if he knew those hands to be his own.

He outlived his family, his friends, and every single person he had ever encountered. He never aged a day since that night, his skin perfect and his blood never spilling. Oh, but the blood he had spilt just to survive. It was gallons, lifetimes of blood, enough to save many and yet it had passed through him, giving him new life and energy, his life force returning to him just for a minute as he felt his victim’s depleting.

He was a monster. He knew it to be true. He had fangs that had chewed through his lips too many times to count. His eyes swam with blood when he was full, his vision red and blurry but his stomach thanking him and praising him, his veins full once more and singing again. He was a monster in human skin, his hands itching for a heartbeat and his ears hearing too much for him to function.

The years passed and he moved on, moving from country to country. He would never see his family again, nor his friends of when he had been born. He travelled as far as he could, only to end up back where he started, the city a lot different now. 

In the recent years, he had met others like him. He had learned the name of what he was, a _vampire,_ and yet many humans nowadays brushed it aside, falling to skeptics more than supernatural. He hadn’t a name for himself until his mother had birthed him and now he had two, one normal and one so horribly wrong. 

Vampire. One who feeds on human or animal blood primarily to live. He had thought it funny at first until the name was no longer a joke and his fangs had stopped coming out whenever he opened his mouth. He was no longer twenty-seven and human. He had not been twenty-seven since that horrid day. 

Many kings and queens had passed all over the world and yet his face still remained the same, his eyes aging but his body still young and regenerating. Every cut would heal and too many times had be caught himself trying to stain skin that refused to bloom, his tears hot and bloody on his face, the blood he would not bleed.

The sunlight harmed him greatly. He had heard of vampires who embraced it and there had been something of vampires walking in the daylight and yet he did not have that gift. He did not have the gift of seeing the future either, but he could control minds like every other vampires, his strength coming from his age. The sunlight had caught him a few times, the pain indescribable but he would not burn instantly like an older vampire. He had at least an hour in the sun before he would truly burn and yet he would never take that risk like others. He could not meet the sun and call it a friend. The moonlight was his life source, his harmony, his heart a melody only to be plucked by her.

It was difficult for him to embrace himself, to strip himself of all he knew and live on because someone had given him new life. He did not know the person, had never even seen their face and after so long of searching, he knew he would never find them. They had given him another life, one of borrowed time and he was forced to choke it down and swallow, just like the thick crimson he needed to survive.

It was him, Jung Taekwoon as he had been called early on, his name still familiar and yet unspoken for hundreds of years. He had nearly forgotten it, the only remainder of his old self that had stayed. The first time he had spoken it was to his reflection, hearing that _monsters like him_ could not see themselves in a mirror. 

But he had met his eyes, the scleras threatened by the blood swimming in his head, in his veins. He had not changed, his hair still long and hanging by his shoulders. The peeling walls of the old house fit his appearance well; his eyes old and seen too many horrors. He had discovered that he could see himself in mirrors so long as they were not backed by silver. He had also learnt that silver could harm him more than anything but he would always heal. 

He always healed.

_I am a monster,_ he had whispered to his reflection, mocking himself. _Jung Taekwoon is a monster._

But he had found that he hadn’t cared enough. This was his way of life. He needed to survive and he could do nothing but survive. It was all he knew how to do. There were others like him but he had never been guided nor helped. His mother had taught him everything, his sisters his guardians but they were gone now. He was alone.

Alone, but not lonely. He had survived many years without another soul by his side, reaching every new century alone. He hadn’t minded it, his thoughts ripping him apart from the inside sometimes but he was still walking, still hunting and still existing. He didn’t need to breathe to know he was alive but he had no heartbeat, no pulse. He was truly undead, his body a weapon now, his humanity stolen in the dead of night.

In the new age, he had met some others. One a human and one a wolf. He had learned the scent of dogs ever since he had been foolish enough to cross one’s territory in the forests of Europe a few years back and he had been hunting a human but one that smelt overpoweringly like a wolf. 

He thought it strange, since wolves never kept humans around like vampires. Vampires used them for blood supply, easy access. Wolves never bothered humans and if they did, there was an uproar. Wolves did not feed from humans. They did not need them like vampires did. And yet, this human was in fact that -- _human_ \-- but had been rolling in whatever the wolf owned.

_You are aware?_ he had asked, albeit stupidly, after attempting to attack the human. The smell had been too strong and Taekwoon had been too damn confused to even think about feeding from the human. _A wolf has attached itself to you?_

_Of course,_ the human, _Jaehwan,_ had replied, still underneath Taekwoon and trapped, defenseless but an easy smile on his face. Taekwoon had decided after he met Jaehwan that he would never understand humans. He didn’t need to; he only needed their blood. 

Jaehwan had just smiled at him wider before Taekwoon had been thrown off him, sent skidding into the alleyway and his back hit the brick wall with a sickening crack, his head breaking the clay. He had hissed, struggling to stand and a man stood over Jaehwan, growling not unlike a dog, his teeth sharp and claws replacing his fingernails.

That was the day Taekwoon had met Wonshik, a purebred wolf with a human partner, the two of them comfortable enough with each other to live side by side, whispering promises in each other’s ear when they thought Taekwoon couldn’t hear.

Taekwoon could always hear. It was difficult to get his mind to be quiet, to just shut it all off and relax. The world had never been kind to Taekwoon and even after all these years, he still couldn’t control his own demons, ones he had lived with for just over four hundred years now.

He and Wonshik had been strange with each other, Wonshik’s scent too strong and Taekwoon’s yellow eyes bothering Wonshik beyond all belief. They had fought, mainly to see who could win but a purebred was a lot stronger than a turned wolf and the two of them had evenly matched each other, never knowing who would come out on top in the end. Jaehwan hated to see them fight but after four years of knowing Wonshik and three years of knowing Taekwoon, he had gotten used to the two of them roughhousing in the living room of Wonshik’s apartment.

Taekwoon, despite spending so much time with the two of them, didn’t live with them. His own apartment was preferred because whatever Wonshik did, he could never keep the sun completely out of his apartment. Too many times had Taekwoon slept in the bathtub, the only window above him and Jaehwan had just duct taped cardboard there so Taekwoon could finally sleep without burning to a crisp in his slumber. His apartment was his only, blackout curtains doubled up and taped to the walls so that they didn’t wander. There wasn’t a window in his apartment that didn’t have some kind of protection besides his living room, the balcony attached to it too calming for Taekwoon to be covered up.

Living as a vampire was difficult. He had vomited up blood when he had drunk from someone ill and he had killed only once which he prided himself in. He never wanted to kill anyone, especially not humans, and he would take every precaution he could to prevent himself from hurting others. He had killed many vampires, on the other hand. The ones who killed without reason, just to grin at the bodies as their souls disappeared… 

Those were the vampires Taekwoon killed. 

On the other hand, living as a vampire wasn’t all bad. He didn’t have to eat and he could drink coffee all he liked. He had picked up a strange love for wine too but he and Wonshik would share a bottle of whiskey between them just to see who would lose first. Or vomit on Jaehwan’s rug. It was usually Taekwoon.

As domestic as his life was now, a vampire was still a creature of the night and Taekwoon had lost his humanity many, many years ago. He was a vampire, in every sense of the word, his fangs sinking into victims just for a taste of their own humanity, his own stolen from him when he was just twenty-seven.

Oh, to be a demon amongst angels was ironic. But humans were hardly angels and Taekwoon was hardly a demon, something he had learnt very quickly. He had managed to evade many hunters, keeping low and only hunting when he needed to. He was lucky that he was a stronger breed vampire, his skill coming with age and once he was full and his eyes clouded with blood, he did not have to feed again for another month if he was lucky. He was grateful to Jaehwan who worked as a nurse too, as he was able to sneak blood bags home for him, being sure to only take O negative, the universal donor. 

Taekwoon could survive longer without blood than the common vampire, whoever turned him stronger than most. He had learnt that there was a vampire hierarchy, Taekwoon unsure of where he sat exactly but he knew it was higher up, apparently by the colour of his eyes. They were yellow when he fed and the highest and most powerful rank of vampires had eyes the colour of ice. It was strange how it all worked and he had never really bothered to pay attention to it but Taekwoon was thankful that he did not have to feed every second day to stay sane. 

Whoever had turned him, he was yet to find them and over the years, he had wanted to kill them, tear them apart and make them feel the pain he was forced to feel that night. But then again, he almost wanted to thank them, for he had new life and new strength, able to go on through to the future. It was strange, his thoughts. He was not sure if he could ever face who created him, his sire, as it was called. Whoever they were, they had not bothered with him. He supposed he should not bother with them.

Taekwoon was a vampire. Taekwoon _is_ a vampire. Only monsters knew other monsters and Taekwoon knew all of his monsters, inside and out.

 

***

 

He had been brought up on gunshots. The clink of a knife and the sprinkling of salt was his bedtime story and he knew what death looked like before he knew the alphabet. He wasn't a demon, though. He was as human as he could make himself but it was a strange line he walked. What did it mean to be human? He didn't drink blood, he didn't turn into a hound under the full moon and he only wore his face or whatever it was he called his face. He couldn't shift into other people at will; at the very least, he wasn't a monster.

But what was it to be a monster, then?

Death seemed to follow him and yet he was still human. He was mortal, knowing he bled when he was hurt, bruised when he had been hit. He cried when he felt pain and he knew the colour of his blood better than anything, seeing it too many times to not notice how it flowed, how his heart beat against his ribs. He was mortal. He knew he would die eventually. Everything dies eventually.

His parents were gone before he knew them well enough to remember. He had come out of the ordeal of a car crash with a few scratches but his heart had been heavy, even at his young age. He had been taken in by another family, but it wasn’t long before tragedy struck him again, his adoptive brother included. Did Death follow mortals just to taunt them or was he a special case? 

His adoptive mother had died when he was six, his adoptive brother eight. It had happened too fast for him to recall completely, his young mind blocking it out for the future but his mother had been taken from him again, by a creature he would come to know too well. Fangs and blood red eyes haunted his dreams for months and even now, he would listen to his brother cry until he couldn't breathe, thinking he was asleep not to hear.

He and his brother grew up on the run, their father teaching them what he knew and whatever they could pick up from people around them. His brother had even gone to university for a time, the two of them just trying to live normally for once. But creatures had a death wish and it became their job to hunt down those who threatened people like them. He wasn't sure at what age it became his full time job to drench himself in blood just to get tracked by the very thing that took his mother from him.

His brother, Hongbin, held more hate in his heart than him, enough for the both of him, he supposed. But he had never laid a finger on his little brother, always looking out for him and feeding him even when Hongbin was starving. They had always been a team and they never wouldn’t be, brothers by choice and not by blood. Sometimes, that was what made their bond stronger.

He knew he and his brother were different from the start. The creature that had killed his adoptive mother had been a vampire, stealing her heart and her humanity and it almost took Hongbin’s, too. He had watched, unable to fight something like a vampire that could snap him in half cleanly. But it had sensed the danger of their father charging up the stairs and left Hongbin unconscious on the floor, his fingers twitching weakly. He had seen the blood of his mother split on the ground, dampening Hongbin’s hair but he didn't know what monsters were back then. He didn't know his nightmares lived alongside him.

He would never forget what his brother had looked like that night. His brown eyes were wide and unblinking, almost unafraid and he had starred down that creature with nothing but hatred in his glare, knowing he could die and not caring. He hadn't known the extent of that _look,_ knowing it was only aimed at the people or the things that attacked Hongbin, the ones who hurt him deeper than he would ever heal. That look had never left him even after years and years of running and fending.

They had encountered many monsters in their time, learning things along the way. He had a journal that started as a high school project of a dream journal and now it was a catalogue of all the creatures and demons they had ever seen, all the information they had on them filed into the book by his terrible handwriting. He had never gotten a pen license and _Han Sanghyuk_ was scribbled onto the front.

Hongbin was his rock, and Sanghyuk was his. It was difficult and while they were both still human, they walked a very thin line between their world and what dwelled beneath their beds at night. They killed the demons that haunted children, the werewolves that attacked without mercy, the vampires that snatched people in the night. Too many times had Sanghyuk fought a monster wearing his brother’s face just to make him scared.

_I would never leave you. You know that, don't you?_

Him and Hongbin had whispered that so many times to each other that they weren't sure what it meant anymore. Would they really always be there for each other? They could never be sure that one day one of them would be gone and the other would go on, whoever it may be. Hongbin and Sanghyuk couldn't live without each other but the world liked to test them, as if hurting one would hurt the other. 

It often worked.

People come and people go. The brothers had learned that all too well. Their mother died when they were young, their father following in their teen years. Hongbin had been nineteen when he was listed as Sanghyuk’s legal guardian despite only just losing his father. It was like it was always going to be the two of them, isolated but with each other. Hongbin was all Sanghyuk had known, the longest constant in his life and Hongbin was the same for Sanghyuk but they had lost so much before they were even legal. It was no way for two kids to grow up, to learn the world without anyone to teach then how to live. 

_You’ll never be alone as long as I’m here,_ Hongbin would tell him as he stitched his wounds, as he blotted his split lips, as he washed the blood from Sanghyuk’s hair. _You will never be alone. I will never leave you._

Kids should never have to grow up when they hit double digits. Sanghyuk shouldn't have to be okay with the fact that he’d be lucky to live past thirty. But he was prepared, even if it meant dying by the very things he had killed too many times to count. Would it be a demon? A vampire or werewolf? A shapeshifter wearing Hongbin’s face? An angel, even? 

Sanghyuk was not sure. He only knew that he was a killer just like the creatures he hunted. He had blood on his hands and he was drowning in it. It choked him and Hongbin too, until they couldn't sleep at night, until it hurt just to close their eyes and see their mother’s body right in front of them, the two of them the cause of it. But they were drowning together, weren’t they? Sanghyuk didn't mind dying if it meant Hongbin would come with him. He supposed that was selfish beyond all belief but he and Hongbin made so many promises to each other over the years; one was bound to come true.

He wondered how it was his choice to end someone else’s life, monster or not. He only hunted the evil, the ones that killed the innocent. But that made him evil, didn't it? He was a murderer. Blood stained him just as much as a vampire. How many times would he watch the crimson flow down the drain of hotel showers before it was over? There would always be monsters to hunt, always be killings that would never make sense to the public but struck a nerve in Hongbin, killings that would haunt Sanghyuk until he cried when Hongbin was asleep.

He was eating himself from the inside with his guilt, his morals long since fucked over. Would he ever be innocent? Where had that child of six years gone, the one who had never held a knife let alone slit the throats of demons? If he could see that Sanghyuk, what would he even say?

This was his burden. Han Sanghyuk was a murderer, a beast killer. 

And yet he was a beast himself, covered in the blood of too many monsters to recognise his tired and afraid eyes. He was alone, but not lonesome, even with Hongbin by his side. He would always be alone. He was an orphan, even if Hongbin claimed him his brother.

Sanghyuk wondered if things would be different if he had never born. Would his parents, his real parents, still be alive? Would Hongbin’s mother still be alive? If he had never been born, maybe Hongbin would never have the hate in his heart that turned it black and caused him to fight because he had never been taught how to let go.

Sanghyuk really wondered if he was even human.

The relief that came from saving someone from a monster was indeed rewarding but after all this time, Sanghyuk still thought this way. He still called himself a fool for believing he could be innocent. He had to kill to live so what made him better than a monster? He was paid for his wrongdoings with coin while monsters paid for their wrongdoings with Sanghyuk’s weapons. 

Hongbin had told him time and time again that this is _just what we do._ But it wasn't. It was his job but a job should help him live his life, not put it in danger every day so he could meddle with myths and legends. Monsters were a scary story when he was growing up and now they were his reality, his lifeline even. It was ironic; these creatures of pure darkness, absolute death, were the reason Sanghyuk had a livelihood.

Hongbin held him close when he didn't ask, even when Hongbin hated to be touched excessively. He would hold Sanghyuk, pet his hair, rub his back, because Sanghyuk would always be his baby brother, would always be his greatest treasure, would always be his rock. Without Sanghyuk, Hongbin wasn't anything and without Hongbin, Sanghyuk would be dead.

This was a hunter’s life to lead.

 

***

 

It was hard to judge when exactly people would begin to stumble out of the club, when they would be intoxicated enough that Taekwoon’s bite wouldn't hurt them as much. He never liked to make people scream like other vampires and he sure didn't like them to remember him.

Hunting is a routine. Taekwoon _had_ to do it. He wishes he didn't but he would never find anything that sedated his demons as good as human blood. Animal blood could tie him over for some time but a vampire needed human blood to feel completed and it just so happens that tonight, Taekwoon needs his fill.

He waits, because he knows he must and clubs have always hurt his ears. Vampires have enhanced hearing as well as smell and vision and being in a club full of sweaty bodies with the sound and smell of blood flowing through them… Taekwoon’s hungry and he really doesn’t need to walk into a club and start attacking like a rabid animal. He’s better than that and it would be too terrifying for himself and others if he were to ever lose sight of himself.

It takes some time but Taekwoon’s glamour is strong, something he's always been grateful for. People begin to step outside and Taekwoon takes note of each of them. All of them are a little drunk, some more than others but he spots someone who would do nicely.

A girl steps out, an unlit cigarette in her hand and she smiles something sweet at Taekwoon who nods to her with a small smile too. She holds up her cigarette in asking for a light but Taekwoon locks eyes with her, his own flashing amber.

With that, she drops her cigarette, completely under his spell. She’s still smiling and Taekwoon cocks his head, whispering, “Come here,” and she does, sliding her hand into his. Her skin is warm and even underneath the glamour, she’s not scared. Taekwoon can feel her emotions and she’s a little nervous but definitely not afraid and Taekwoon is grateful and guilty at the same time. Her heartbeat is steady, comforting to say the least.

Once secluded in the alleyway next to the club, Taekwoon coaxs her forward and her hands are on his shoulders. When he bites down, the skin of her neck giving way, she tightens her grasp on his back but she doesn't fight, her own eyes amber and blown wide. It’s pleasurable if Taekwoon wants it to be and she's shivering in his grasp, whispering for more. 

Vampire venom isn't a rarity but if Taekwoon isn't careful, it’s easy for someone to get addicted to him. His venom is stronger than most and he pulls away from the woman, licking the wound closed, being careful not to leave any blood on her. She's dazed but not dying and he strokes her face just to get her to open her eyes again.

“Forget this,” he whispers and she goes stiff again, her eyes drooping as the amber clouds over her vision, making her tired. It’s sometimes too easy but Taekwoon is grateful for it. He can get in and out of a hunt in a flash.

He leaves her under a streetlamp near the club, her hair a little ruffled but her neck is clean and healed by Taekwoon’s touch, her cigarette finally lit because Taekwoon had always been a bit soft. She’s dazed but smiles at him as he bids her farewell, his fix sated for the next week or so.

He feeds a few more times, just because he likes to be full. Vampires like him feed less than newborns and he’s able to survive longer off a full feed. If something were to happen, Taekwoon would rather be full and not feed for a month than have to struggle on just a week’s worth of blood. Then again, he does have Jaehwan’s blood bag supply and Wonshik doesn't like eating with Jaehwan while Taekwoon sits there with nothing because he can't keep anything down besides blood, coffee and liquor. A unique feat, honestly.

When his eyes are swimming with red, he stumbles to Jaehwan and Wonshik’s shared apartment because it’s closer than his own. Jaehwan will be awake because he usually is to get ready for his early morning shift at the hospital and it’s easier for Taekwoon to sleep through the dawn if he isn't alone. 

His eyes are completely crimson, even moving with the blood that's swimming through his head and clouding his brain a little. He’d call it drunk but he knows what it’s like to be drunk and this does not compare. He's full, energised with new life and he feels fantastic. Every person he's ever fed from has a different taste and that girl with her cigarette made his throat scratchy like whiskey, a sting in her blood and Taekwoon actually quite liked it. He can’t stomach cigarettes, had never been able to but Wonshik’s occasional one didn't bother him as much as what it used to. Wonshik got used to Taekwoon’s disgusting habit of leaving blood bags around the house and Taekwoon got used to Wonshik’s apartment smelling like a wet dog. Compromise.

The door is unlocked when Taekwoon reaches the third floor and he raises an eyebrow, even in his drowsy state. Literally anyone could just walk in and either rob them or kill them but Taekwoon supposes that Wonshik would wake up before anyone could come anywhere close to Jaehwan, even if he sleeps like the dead like Taekwoon. He’s a protective wolf and always has been, something that Taekwoon had learnt the very first time they met. 

“Anyone could rob you,” Taekwoon says to the apartment just because Jaehwan has never gotten used to him appearing out of nowhere. He can sense him in the living room before he sees him and the human jumps up from the couch, ready to defend himself before he recognises Taekwoon standing close, his vampiric speed making the trinkets on the shelves rattle.

“Don't do that!” he hisses and Taekwoon doesn't know why Jaehwan doesn't expect him at this time of night. Jaehwan gets ready alone but Taekwoon always pays him a visit every few days so he doesn't have to do everything in the dark. Wonshik used to get up with him but a fully grown wolf on four hours sleep is not pleasant. “How many times do I have to tell you, Taekwoon-hyung?”

Even now, it’s weird to hear his name said so easily but he likes it coming from Jaehwan, the first human to not be afraid of him and call him a friend. “I was in the area,” he replies instead of letting himself be chastised and Jaehwan collapses into the couch again, sighing. “Were you called in or scheduled?”

“Scheduled,” he says and closes whatever philosophy text book Wonshik picked up on his adventures. “Will you stay or are you here to annoy me?”

Taekwoon flashes his teeth just because he can and Jaehwan finally sees his eyes, immediately looking away and cringing. Jaehwan is a nurse and has probably seen every disease in the book and as been through a handful of accidents but he still can't look Taekwoon in the eyes when his normally black eyes are convulsing with other people’s blood. 

“Here to annoy you, mortal,” Taekwoon answers smugly as he sits down and Jaehwan shakes his head. “Are you well?”

“As well as I can be.” Jaehwan smiles at him, avoiding his eyes but Taekwoon isn't offended. “You fed, I see. Full?”

Taekwoon nods, stifling a yawn. Jaehwan doesn't like his eyes like this but he doesn't mind how long Taekwoon’s fangs are, having gotten used to them over the years because of how many times he and Wonshik would fight. Jaehwan probably can’t count how many times he had blotted the punctures in Wonshik’s shoulders from Taekwoon’s fangs and Taekwoon had to sit on bedrest when Wonshik’s claws had slashed across his stomach, making him ooze. They haven't fought in a while, actually. Taekwoon only itched if Wonshik scratched.

Jaehwan sniffs, standing up and patting Taekwoon’s cheek. “I'll see you tonight?” he asks, hopeful and Taekwoon blinks, nodding with a smile. He's very grateful Jaehwan likes him as much as he likes Jaehwan. He had been fearful at first because Jaehwan is human and even for Taekwoon, it’s hard for him to drown out the constant loud beating of Jaehwan’s heartbeat. It’s all he's known to focus on but he knows when Jaehwan is excited or nervous just by listening to his heartbeat. Over the years, he’s gotten used to Jaehwan, though. His heartbeat is just background noise at this point.

“Jaehwanie?” he calls before the nurse can leave and he sticks his head back in with a small smile, frowning in question. “Please be safe.”

Jaehwan smiles, walking over to kiss Taekwoon’s forehead just because he can, knowing Taekwoon won't hurt him. He waves and Taekwoon smiles softly, hearing the door click shut. Taekwoon locks it so he’ll sleep easier and heads to Wonshik’s room just to make sure he's still there. Taekwoon’s hearing is very advanced but he hasn't heard Wonshik’s horrid snoring. 

Wonshik is sitting on the side of the bed, his chest bare and a little scarred. He doesn’t heal like Taekwoon and his left shoulder is covered in marks from Taekwoon’s fingers and fangs. He looks up at Taekwoon and offers a smile, his eyes squinting in the dark. “Jaehwanie’s gone?”

Taekwoon nods. He knows for a fact that when Jaehwan gets up in the middle of the night for his shift, the first thing he does is kiss Wonshik at least a little bit awake. It is sweet but it just makes Jaehwan smell like dog to Taekwoon but he’s not the one dating a six foot tall wolf. “Did you wake from that?”

Wonshik shakes his head and lies back down. Taekwoon follows suit, knowing it’s hard for Wonshik to fall asleep without someone next to him, even if Taekwoon is completely cold and has no heartbeat. The presence of a body, he supposes, even if it’s not Jaehwan. “Thought I smelt zombie.”

Taekwoon shoves Wonshik’s back, making him grunt. “Jaehwanie smells like a dog because of you. It has not changed in two years.”

“That's how you know he's mine,” Wonshik laughs, turning over to look at Taekwoon. He sniffs before frowning. “Is it really that strong of a smell? Even when he's not with me?”

“This entire apartment smells like dog,” Taekwoon concludes with a chuckle. Jaehwan doesn't always smell like Wonshik and to anyone else, he wouldn't. But Taekwoon knows the scent of grass and smoke belongs to Wonshik and he spends so much time with Jaehwan that the human smells like it too. Even before they moved in together, Jaehwan smelt like Wonshik. But then again, Wonshik smells like Jaehwan in a way. Like his floral scented soaps and shampoos that make Taekwoon sneeze. He can sense them on the pillow right now.

Wonshik’s hand comes up to muffle his yawn. He sniffs once before closing his eyes and settling in again. “Will you be here when I wake up?” he whispers and Taekwoon laughs through his nose.

“I will be in the bathroom,” he replies and Wonshik hums. He falls asleep quickly and once the snoring begins, Taekwoon leaves to settle into the bathtub. The cardboard he uses is between the toilet and the tub and albeit a little wet, it gets the job done. Duct tape is ripped off by his teeth and once it’s against the window, Taekwoon grabs the pillow that Wonshik keeps under the sink just for him, finally lying down.

The tub is a little small only because Taekwoon’s legs are so long but he curls up like a cat, his body clock warning him of the coming dawn. He makes himself as comfortable as possible, drifting off to Wonshik’s snores vibrating the walls of the apartment, shaking his brain inside his skull.

His eyes have long since cleared and with a full stomach, he sleeps better.

 

***

 

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Sanghyuk’s playing bait tonight because he's always had better eyes than Hongbin but Hongbin has always had better reflexes. There's monsters in here as there always will be but Sanghyuk hasn't seen anything strange so far. Even vampires know not to feed in public because a glamour on a club full of people is incredibly hard to maintain.

He's done this so many times that it feels like muscle memory. When Hongbin plays bait, it’s usually over in ten minutes. When he walks in, all eyes turn to him and he's gotten three vampires in one night just from wearing eyeliner. 

Sanghyuk is a little different. He's bigger than Hongbin and he usually attracts female monsters but they've gotten a few incubi even when hunting for vampires. If they're in clubs, they're normally not too dangerous but the ones that follow Sanghyuk out and snatch him into the dark are the ones he and Hongbin will kill. 

What’s good is that over the years, they've gotten sigils onto their skin and there's jewellery that supposedly protects them, like Sanghyuk’s enchanted necklace. His chest is covered in ink and he and Hongbin have performed the very painful but rewarding task of a ritual that carved anti demon possession runes into their _ribs._ It left Sanghyuk on bed rest for two days and Hongbin vomiting in the bathroom for three but it was worth it. But now they can’t get x-rays without the doctors question what the _fuck_ is wrong with their ribs.

For vampire glamours, it’s a little harder to block. The centre of Sanghyuk’s chest has little geometric patterns with old Latin runes that line his sternum and span his collarbones. Hongbin has the same only on his arms, his forearms decorated with what looks like beautiful artwork (and it is) but wards off whatever tricks a vampire or even incubi or succubi could play on them. The good thing about the rib carvings is that it shields them from angels too, masking the two of them so that when they leave their apartment that’s warded off against every monster you could ever imagine, angels still can't track them. 

When Sanghyuk is being glamoured or at least a vampire is trying to glamour him, his chest begins to warm and it gets a little itchy. His sigils will block it out depending on the strength of the vampire and he knows when an attempt is being made. It’s a little stinging to deal with to prevent a whole world of pain from a vampire bite so Sanghyuk sucks it up and moves on.

Right now, he's making his way through the club to more or less stumble outside where he knows Hongbin is waiting a block over. He can sense someone following him and judging by the way his necklace is vibrating against his chest, they're a monster, specifically a vampire. Sanghyuk can sense people as he's always been able to. He knows Hongbin is a block away from him not only because he told him but because Sanghyuk can sense his presence with the amount of runes and symbols inked into his skin. He knows it’s Hongbin because of his aura whereas the person behind him has a thicker one, more like a darkness than a human aura. His necklace, just a simple cross that was blessed by a priest, is the one telling him he's being followed and that he's in close vicinity with a vampire.

He doesn't turn when he feels the vampire come closer but he smiles, looking over his shoulder before he's pulled into an alleyway harshly. He’s slammed against the wall but his head doesn’t hit the bricks, so he grabs hold of the vampire’s wrists that are gripping his jacket and wrenches them away, effectively shoving the vampire back a few steps. The vampire is young and seems surprised at Sanghyuk’s strength when he's supposedly drunk. It’s a man, actually and he blinks as Sanghyuk grabs his knife from his belt, a present threat.

“A hunter,” the vampire says, his voice scratchy like gravel. He scowls, baring his teeth like an animal. Sanghyuk doesn’t flinch because he’s seen vampire fangs too many times to count that it doesn’t phase him anymore. “I haven't done anything yet.”

“You will,” Sanghyuk replies easily, swiping his knife and managing to cut the vampire across the cheek. The blade is silver and Sanghyuk knows it’s real by the way the vampire hisses, the cut sizzling as the vampire glares up at him. “You would have killed me already if I was anyone else.”

The vampire laughs but doesn't reply, giving Sanghyuk all the answers he needs. He had no clue where Hongbin is but he can handle this by himself. The vampire isn't old and seems a little more cocky than he should be. 

His eyes flash red as he tries to glamour Sanghyuk but it fails, the hunter’s chest stinging a little with familiar pain. The vampire looks very shocked and Sanghyuk ducks when he tries to grab him by the throat to slam him into the wall again. Sanghyuk quickly turns and drives his knife into the meat of the vampire’s shoulder, making him squeal. The vampire looks at him, blood already filling his eyes in rage and Sanghyuk feels blood splatter on his face suddenly, a gunshot echoing in his ears.

Hongbin is standing there, his expression calm but swimming with hate and Sanghyuk looks at him blankly. The vampire slumps down, motionless and Hongbin takes the knife from the body, the wound letting off trails of smoke, and hands it back to Sanghyuk calmly.

“Are you alright?” Sanghyuk asks Hongbin and his brother blinks, frowning. Hongbin isn’t the one that played bait but Sanghyuk likes to make sure anyways. The gunshot is ringing in his ears but with the silencer, he doubts with the club music slamming against the walls next to them, no one heard much of this ordeal. 

“I’m fine?” Hongbin responds, tipping up the end of his answer as he tucks his gun back into his belt. The bullets are silver and the vampire hasn't moved, thankfully. When the sun rises, the body will burn but no smell will rise from it. This is vampire territory anyways; someone will come and get the body. “Are _you_ alright?”

Sanghyuk wipes the blood from his cheek but he can’t see it so Hongbin reaches up to wipe his long sleeve across Sanghyuk’s face. Hongbin always wears long sleeves because of his tattoos and he doesn't like to wear anything _revealing._ Sanghyuk would rather walk around without a shirt on than dress like Hongbin does, his button ups done right up to his chin with a sweater on top. It’s strangling.

“It might be in your hair,” Hongbin says, his eyes back to their usual softness. The old Hongbin is back in an instant. “Do you want to hunt more?”

Sanghyuk shakes his head. Honestly, one monster a night is good enough for him. He can't really stomach anything more, even after all these years. His tattoos itch a little and he just wants a bath. Dawn will come soon and there will no point for them to be out hunting vampires when they're all asleep. 

“I want to sleep,” he tells Hongbin who just huffs a laugh, smiling. “A bath and then sleep.”

“Okay,” Hongbin agrees, cocking his head and they leave, walking home the same way they had gotten there. This way, they’ll pass a convenience store and can buy whatever food they want to eat for the night. 

They filter through the isles and meet up again, their arms full of ramen and premade pancake mix. Hongbin only just recently learnt how to cook chicken without burning it and Sanghyuk recently discovered that he likes Thai spices so they grab a few things to actually cook rather than just ramen in a pot that they’ll both eat out of.

“Did it say anything to you?” Hongbin asks as they walk home. They're going a little slower, enjoying the night air as well as the fact that it’s not too cold for them to still walk home like this.

Sanghyuk keeps his eyes forward. This has always been the way the two of them work. Sanghyuk doesn't think all monsters are bad… Only the ones who kill without mercy. The vampire Hongbin shot tonight would have killed Sanghyuk if he didn't know it was coming, drinking him dry and leaving his body in the alleyway to rot. Those are the ones Sanghyuk will kill because he’d rather a savage vampire die than an innocent, someone who just wanted a fun night out. 

But Hongbin is different, especially with vampires. He degrades them because of his history with them and he’ll never see a vampire in a positive light because all they do is kill. Sanghyuk can't blame him entirely but Hongbin looks like his soul has been taken from him the minute he recognises a vampire and then he's not Hongbin anymore. He's a stranger next to Sanghyuk and it scares him, honestly. Hongbin is removed from the body and the man next to him is someone Sanghyuk can't call his brother anymore.

“He didn't say anything,” Sanghyuk replies and their choice of pronouns speaks volumes. Hongbin doesn't believe him, which is obvious but he doesn't push it. He knows that if Sanghyuk wanted to tell him, he would, but there's nothing worth telling. 

Hongbin swings his plastic bag before he pauses, halting completely. He's not looking at Sanghyuk who’s further up the hill that leads to their apartment, the neighbourhood quiet. He finally looks up at his younger brother and he looks like a doll, his skin glowing in the moonlight but his expression painted, completely stoic.

“You’ll tell me if something happens, right?”

Sanghyuk blinks, his jaw tensing. He finds it hard to answer because on one hand, he would tell Hongbin anything. His brother is the one person on this earth that knows him better than anyone, the one person who has never left his side. Then again, sometimes… Sanghyuk doesn't know if he's the same for Hongbin. His brother hides things, always has and probably always will. Sanghyuk didn't know he had been lying to their father about dropping out of college until their father asked Sanghyuk when he would go to school like Hongbin. Hongbin is his brother in every way, but it was hard to call Hongbin that when there would always be the face of a stranger inside his brother, waiting to be let out. 

“Of course,” Sanghyuk replies, lying through his teeth. “You’re my brother, after all.” That part isn't a lie and they both know it. Sanghyuk would rather die than have to call Hongbin just his friend because they are brothers, even if their blood says otherwise.

Hongbin’s eye twitches as he looks away, seemingly thinking about something else. He takes a breath through his nose and smiles, back from whatever deep pondering he was doing and Sanghyuk swallows, managing a smile in return. Hongbin walks back up to him, his arm resting on Sanghyuk’s shoulders comfortably.

“Are you okay?” he asks like he had earlier and Hongbin sighs, still smiling. His eyes are a little dazed.

“I’m fine, Hyogi.” 

Sanghyuk and Hongbin have always been good liars.


	2. chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He closes his eyes tightly to try and get his mind to stop thinking. He did a good thing today and that’s all that matters. He doubts he’ll ever see that man again so he and Wonshik have nothing to panic over, even if it is risky to aid a hunter when their sole job is to kill people like Taekwoon.

Taekwoon watches the pot boil, this routine completely familiar and dumps the ramen in. Though he doesn't need to eat and can't keep food down for the life of him, he’s subjected to always feed Wonshik and Jaehwan, especially once Jaehwan comes home late at night. Wonshik eats more than anyone Taekwoon has ever met so most of this will probably go to him if he doesn’t watch and make sure Jaehwan eats. He’s the mother between the three of them.

Wonshik is wondering around the apartment aimlessly, fixing his books with a cigarette behind his ear. He sniffs and looks at Taekwoon over the counter, holding out his cigarette in question and Taekwoon takes it, lighting it with the flame of the stove. Once it’s up, he hands it back with a blank look.

Wonshik has always been easy to be around, despite smelling like a bag of dirt with whatever masculine scent is advertised on television these days. He's basically an overgrown puppy in human form and Taekwoon is grateful that Wonshik isn't entirely territorial over trivial things. Taekwoon can come and go to their apartment and Wonshik won't freak out if the scent of vampire is hanging around the apartment because he knows it belongs to Taekwoon and Taekwoon only.

The door jiggles, the keys getting stuck before they give way and Jaehwan walks in, his head hung and he looks awfully tired. He yawns, not seeming to notice Taekwoon standing completely still in his kitchen at all. 

Taekwoon is in front of him in an instant, taking his jacket from his shoulders. Jaehwan doesn't smile but nods, avoiding Taekwoon’s eyes even though they're not filled with blood. He's distracted, mind elsewhere and Taekwoon can feel his thoughts reeling despite not reading them.

“What's wrong, Jaehwanie?” he asks softly, trying to look at him. Jaehwan is never this quiet, even after a bad day at work and he never avoids Taekwoon outright. But he does look up at him, tears in his eyes and he starts crying before he can even speak.

Taekwoon takes his face so that Jaehwan can grip as hard as he wants onto his wrists. Taekwoon won't feel it but Jaehwan squeezes anyways, his eyes closed by leaking tears down his cheeks.

“A boy came in…” Jaehwan whispers and Taekwoon lifts him up immediately into a bridal carry, giving him to Wonshik who’s sitting on the couch with a very concerned face. He's always better at comforting someone than Taekwoon but Jaehwan needs someone to tell him it’s all okay and Taekwoon isn't the best at that. He’s also not Jaehwan’s boyfriend.

Wonshik hushs him, his lips pressed firmly to Jaehwan’s forehead. Taekwoon whizzes through the kitchen, his vampiric speed working for him and the table is set and the food is finished, the ramen needing to cook a little longer but everything is set and Taekwoon sits down on the couch, his hand in Jaehwan’s hair while his other rubs his back soothingly.

“It’s okay, baby,” Wonshik breathes as Jaehwan cries into his shoulder. He’s shaking but Wonshik is unmoving, something for him to hold onto and draw energy from. “I’ve got you, Jaehwanie. You're with me. Hyung’s here too.”

Jaehwan nods and his arm that's wrapped around his stomach makes a grabby motion, Taekwoon immediately taking it and lacing their fingers together. “What happened?” Taekwoon asks softly, not trying to push. “There was a boy, you said.”

“He… He didn't make it through surgery,” he says and Taekwoon hangs his head as Wonshik sighs. Jaehwan has always been close with the kids in his hospital, making rounds just to hang out with them and play when they don't have any visitors. Most of them were okay, staying for a few weeks before they leave, hugging Jaehwan tightly as the nurse smiled and kept them close. “Just… It really hurts. He was really small, too.”

“I know, sweetheart,” Wonshik says and Jaehwan lifts his head slowly. His eyes are puffy but he's stopped crying, looking between Wonshik and Taekwoon with a frown. 

“How did I get here?” he asks and Taekwoon shifts closer with a smile.

“I carried you.”

Jaehwan huffs a short laugh, shifting himself and letting go of Taekwoon’s hand. He manages a smile to Wonshik and wipes his cheeks free of tears. “Did you cook?” he asks Taekwoon and he nods, smiling softly. Wonshik stands up and takes Jaehwan’s hands, leading him to the table as Jaehwan shakes his head with an embarrassed smile. “I’m okay, guys. Just emotional.”

“So, we eat,” Wonshik says, sitting down at the table and Jaehwan is pulled into his lap, Wonshik’s chin on his shoulder. “Taekwoon-hyung made it for you.”

Taekwoon fiddles with his earring, shooting up and grabbing his coffee from the kitchen, back before the two of them can blink. He takes a sip, crossing his legs easily. “I must feed soon but would you like me to stay? I can make dessert if you’d like.”

“No,” Jaehwan laughs, swallowing some of the broth as Wonshik closes his eyes, content. “It’s okay, hyung. You can go. I know you like fresh blood better.”

Taekwoon nods. He could just have one of the blood bags that are in the mini fridge next to the dishwasher. For someone who doesn't even live with them, Jaehwan and Wonshik have made more of a home for Taekwoon than themselves. It’s just easier because Jaehwan is able to sneak things home for Taekwoon but that's in case of emergencies. Jaehwan never takes more than Taekwoon would ever ask for and even if they just have two blood bags left, Jaehwan doesn't take anymore until the last one is gone. It makes Taekwoon bide his time with the blood so he doesn't risk Jaehwan’s job and he tries to feed as frequently as he can so that he doesn't have to just rely on the bags.

He stands and Wonshik looks like he's about to fall asleep with his arms around Jaehwan. It’s kind of nice, even if Taekwoon’s not involved. Just seeing the two of them, human and werewolf together… It makes Taekwoon’s heart a little lighter. He didn't think he and Wonshik would become friends, close enough to call each other brothers, but life likes to trick people in that way. Without Wonshik and Jaehwan, Taekwoon would probably still be whispering cryptic messages to himself as he walked down the street, his mind a mess. 

It was Jaehwan that picked him up even after Taekwoon tried to feed from him. Taekwoon wasn't crazy and surprisingly at his age, he's never been close to losing his screws. But he thinks without the two of them, he would have lost his head a long time ago and would still be looking for it.

“I'll be going,” he says and Jaehwan nods as he tries to slurp up his ramen. Wonshik opens his eyes finally and the arm that's around Jaehwan lets go so he and Taekwoon can join hands in farewell. “I won't return tonight.”

“That's fine,” Wonshik mumbles into Jaehwan’s shoulder, smiling. “Don't get caught.”

“I have lasted this long,” he laughs and is whisked into the night.

*** 

It’s surprisingly quiet tonight. 

Sanghyuk doesn't think that's particularly weird. There's just some nights where monsters are well behaved. He had run into a succubus at the bar before but she was just making her rounds with one of her children. She had flirted with Sanghyuk before realising he was a hunter but even then, she just smiled. 

“Here for a hunt?” she had asked and Sanghyuk nodded, scanning the club with suspicious eyes. 

“Have you seen anything?” 

She had chewed her bright red lip and sighed. “It’s been a little quiet, actually. There's some werewolves over there but it’s a pack. They won't cause you much trouble.” 

Sanghyuk had nodded, the succubus kissing his cheek and now he had a bit of lipstick and a bored mind, not too different from before. Usually succubi and incubi were like that with hunters. They didn't like to cause excessive trouble and Sanghyuk could respect them; they're only doing their literal job and some of them are even employed in the neighbouring strip club as well as the clubs. They keep an eye out for younger succubi and incubi so that they know the rules and Sanghyuk has ran into a few that helped him with hunts, purely because clubs are their territory. They are creatures of pleasure but if you don't play by their rules in their territory, you either got them or people like Sanghyuk. 

Hongbin was going to play bait tonight but had sensed a shapeshifter on the way over. Since shapeshifters literally explode when you kill them, Hongbin was covered in shifter juice and had decided to camp out like he had a few nights ago, Sanghyuk going in again to lure. They had reports of a younger vampire, possibly two, messing around in some of the clubs nearby which explained why that succubus had spoken to him. There were many around, incubi too, just doing their rounds and Sanghyuk’s right shoulder that had wards against succubi charms is beginning to ache. 

The music is loud as usual and Sanghyuk decides it would be better to have a Jack and coke and call it a night. He hadn't seen any activity or even sensed any vampires in the actual club. There are some nearby because his chest had began to burn but that could have been the whiskey he had before. 

Sanghyuk winces as he downs whatever shot is passed to him, recognising the succubus from before winking as him, her nails clinking against her own shot glass. Sanghyuk rolls the shot glass before standing it upside down and downing his Jack and coke, shaking his head to clear his eyes. 

“I’m off,” he calls when the succubus comes by again and she makes a concerned face before shrugging. 

“Thank you for stopping by,” she replies, kissing his other cheek. “Will you come again?” 

“I'll be around outside, just in case,” he says with a small smile. He has no problem with succubi, after all. She smiles, flipping her hair over her shoulder and he turns, shaking a little from how fast he sucked down his drinks. 

It’s quiet outside too, only a group of girls with their heels in their hands as they smoke and laugh. He nods to them, a few of them whistling at him but he just leans against the wall, letting himself relax. 

He's a little tired, to be honest but that's mostly the alcohol talking. He usually doesn't drink when he hunts because there's no point in hunting if he can't tell the difference between which wards on his body are screaming at him. He's okay with a gun but even worse drunk but he’s lucky his knife skills are good either way. 

His chest stings sharply again and he swallows as a man walks past him, smiling at the women. One of them goes still, dropping her heels to the ground as her hands go limp and Sanghyuk frowns as she follows the vampire, the rest of her friends not finding any of that strange. 

_For fuck’s sake,_ Sanghyuk thinks as he rubs his face, his knife whining for his hand. It’s so much easier when it’s just him who’s being hunted but whatever. He has to save this girl and break the glamour before any real damage can occur. 

“Let her go,” he snaps when he skids into the alleyway, the vampire about to bite his victim. There's no light in her eyes and she looks completely pliant, if not dead already. His knife catches the light as he shifts it in his hand, steadying himself. 

The vampire scowls, shutting his mouth only to growl at Sanghyuk, teeth on full display like an animal. Now that he's focused on Sanghyuk, the glamour weakens and the girl blinks hazily, still out of it but present. 

It’s dark and Sanghyuk is definitely a lot more drunk than he thought he was but between him and the girl under a vampire’s glamour, he's got the advantage. His chest is burning something fierce and he's not sure why but the vampire advances towards him, Sanghyuk just having enough time to take a step back and kick him in the chest. 

“A hunter,” the vampire spits, holding a hand to his chest and Sanghyuk doesn't wait for him to continue before stepping forward and kicking again, his knife wedging itself into the vampire’s stomach. 

He screeches in pain and Sanghyuk takes the girl by the wrist quickly. She's crying and he turns her to her friends, pushing her forward. “Go, go,” he urges and she looks terrified but listens, running to her friends with no care for the glass that's on the footpath. 

Sanghyuk turns back and yeah, he's definitely a bit tipsy because the vampire is in front of him suddenly, his eyes filled with blood and he grabs Sanghyuk by the neck, throwing him like a ragdoll into the alleyway. Sanghyuk is big but the strength of a vampire to his is incomparable. 

Sanghyuk lands strangely, his shoulder taking the blow and he feels it go numb, his head in the trash bags. He hisses through his teeth from the blow but he’s lucky he didn’t hit his head on the concrete. He doesn't know where Hongbin is and can only hope he's on his way because this vampire has his knife now and Sanghyuk is starting to feel the pain in his shoulder really quickly. He could die tonight and he feels like a fool but he managed to help that girl so that’s enough for him. 

The vampire doesn't speak when Sanghyuk looks up at him. He raises his hand, Sanghyuk’s bloodied knife grasped tightly before he decides against his actions, throwing the knife to the side. He grabs Sanghyuk by the shirt again, slamming him against the wall. His head cracks against the bricks and his eyes go fuzzy, the vampire’s hands gripping him tightly. His feet don't touch the ground and he can barely struggle as the vampire moves towards to his neck, Sanghyuk having half the mind to try and headbutt him. 

It doesn't work and he can feel the breath of the vampire on his neck, warm and Sanghyuk cringes against the feeling, trying to get away but not open his neck up for a bite. He feels the scrap of fangs against his neck and squeezes his eyes shut, trying to breathe and hold his breath at the same time but he is suddenly dropped like a bag of bones. His chest on fire and all he can see is brown eyes in the pale overhanging lights, the whites threatening to fill with red as another vampire bites into the original’s throat, shredding it with pure white fangs as long as Sanghyuk’s pinkie. The new vampire and Sanghyuk stare at each other over the other vampire’s shoulder, and the new one looks young, but older than Sanghyuk. 

The vampire screws up his face and throws the other to the ground, dark blood dripping down his chin and front, staining his white shirt crimson. His breathing is rattly and he stretches his mouth, his fangs retracting slightly but not all the way. He stares at Sanghyuk, startling the hunter because the whites of his eyes swimming with red but not completely filled. He looks frightened but he is tall, standing proud as his hands flex, long fingers itching for something. He looks away suddenly, as if embarrassed, his pale skin beautiful in the moonlight and his black hair settling over his forehead and he's gone before Sanghyuk can blink, the vampire is gone into the night, the other's body slumped on the ground and wrung dry, its fingers slightly twitching. Sanghyuk is ready to kill it if it decides to ever get up but the other vampire seems to have wounded it enough that it won't recover. 

"Sanghyuk!" someone calls and Sanghyuk recognises his brother’s voice immediately, blinking up at Hongbin who hauls him to his feet quickly. He’s pulled into Hongbin's tight grasp with a grunt as his brother holds him. He pulls back only to check Sanghyuk for wounds, his eyes wide in shock. "Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine," he replies but it's strange what he feels, weirdly protected and if Sanghyuk was a fool, he'd think he isn’t been watched. But it isn’t just him and his brother in that moment. They are not alone and yet Sanghyuk isn’t scared. He can sense the vampire above him, his chest aching but not burning. 

He looks at Hongbin as his brother checks his head, his fingers stained with red. “You took a while.” 

Hongbin swallows and nods. “The shifter… It attracted others. I’m so sorry, Hyogi. I would have been here sooner if I- Are you drunk?” 

Sanghyuk smiles slowly, Hongbin shoving him away in disgust. “Only a little. I promise. Are you okay? How many shifters were there?” 

Hongbin looks at the vampire body on the ground and frowns. “Not… Not a lot. Two. But they didn't know how to fight.” He turns to Sanghyuk, looking angry and Sanghyuk keeps his yawn to himself. “What happened here, Hyuk?” 

“Another vampire came,” he says because it’s not a lie and he doesn't exactly want to tell Hongbin that he can sense the same vampire above them. Hongbin can sense vampires too but in terms of auras, he has no clue. Sanghyuk is the one with that gift, but it mostly comes from his runes and the necklace he wears. Whatever the vampire is doing to hide himself is working because Hongbin isn't looking around like a mad man or on the defensive which Sanghyuk doesn't think he could deal with right now. 

“Let's go home,” Sanghyuk says instead and Hongbin nods curtly, completely silent. He's not sure if his brother is upset or cautious but right now, Hongbin needs a long shower and Sanghyuk needs to sleep. He was almost bitten by a vampire which he doesn't tell Hongbin because there goes hunting alone. Hongbin is protective because he has a right to be but Sanghyuk likes his time alone too much to risk it. 

Hongbin looks around once they exit the alleyway but he doesn’t say or make any indication that he thinks they’re being watched or followed. Sanghyuk looked up and sees a flash of black hair before he’s just looking at the night sky above the building, his heart beating steadily. He’s not scared, which he doesn’t think hard about. It’s too much to unpack. 

He’s had a long night and whatever buzz he had is gone now. Maybe he can find some rum in the apartment and go from there. 

*** 

Taekwoon said he wasn’t going to go back to Wonshik’s apartment but he’s an idiot and just saved a _hunter_ and _watched him_ leave with his friend because he had been foolish worried so now he has to be yelled at by his best friend or he’s going to lose his mind.

If Wonshik smells the blood that’s all over Taekwoon’s front and mouth before Taekwoon gets to the apartment, he doesn’t say anything when Taekwoon speeds through his apartment, appearing right in front him with wide eyes.

Wonshik just blinks at him, his eyes a little tired but he’s seeing Taekwoon rather than seeing through him and takes a massive breath through his nose before closing his eyes. “Vampire blood?” He clicks his tongue. “I thought you didn’t like the taste.”

“I don’t,” Taekwoon answers but his eyes are glowing yellow whilst Wonshik’s glow red, his defenses up. He’s worried and when he’s worried, he runs a chance of wolfing out if he’s threatened. Taekwoon would never scare him that much, though. This won’t hurt him like that.

Taekwoon licks his lips, his chin covered in dry blood but his shirt is sticking to him and he needs a bath really badly. He’s uncomfortable and a little freaked out and Wonshik can tell.

Wonshik glances at his shirt and sniffs again, picking the fabric from his body just to see it peel from his skin. “What did you do, hyung?” he asks quietly, still looking down. HIs voice is soft. “You killed, didn’t you?”

Taekwoon nods once before Wonshik goes into the bathroom, turning on the shower without looking at Taekwoon. It’s awkward and he probably shouldn't have come here but the blood in his system starts to boil and Wonshik dodges his swipe to get him out of the way, Taekwoon hunched over the toilet with no class or elegance, heaving his guts into the bowl. He's still covered in someone else’s blood and now he's regurgitating it back up while Wonshik scowls at him. _At least it’s not on your carpet,_ Taekwoon bitterly thinks before he goes for round two, Wonshik’s hand on his back now and soothing him.

“I don't like the taste,” he says once he thinks he's done, spitting a few times and Wonshik sighs. His senses are all clogged and he can barely see through the tears in his eyes. He feels awful but at least it’s out of his system and clogging Wonshik’s piping instead of his insides.

“I know, hyung,” Wonshik answers, lifting Taekwoon up with no effort and he puts him in the bathtub, taking off his shirt before Wonshik turns, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“I didn’t…” Taekwoon takes a shaky breath, throwing his shirt onto the floor. “I didn't kill a human. I had to help someone,” he says and Wonshik tilts his head to listen better over the spray of the water.

Taekwoon tries to pull the shower curtain to hide himself but Wonshik sits on the edge of the tub, the shower angled directly over Taekwoon’s head and watches him. He feels awful, because Wonshik is worried and upset and all Taekwoon is doing is watching the blood that doesn't belong to him go down the drain, his hair hanging in his eyes. 

“It was a vampire you killed, so who did you help?” Wonshik says and his voice is clipped. It’s not hard to know when Wonshik isn't pleased and right now, Taekwoon feels pathetic just because of the sound of his voice.

Taekwoon sighs. “He was a hunter.” And as soon as he says it, he regrets it. He shouldn't have come here at all. He can’t think straight after what he did. For someone he doesn’t even _know._

“A hunter!” Wonshik laughs but it’s bitter. His eyes are still red and he looks feral, his bed hair strangely looking like wolf ears. Taekwoon needs to either sleep or get punched because now he’s hallucinating. “You saved a hunter for what?”

Wonshik hasn’t had to deal with hunters because when he would turn, it was in his own apartment and he could somehow keep himself contained long enough that when he turned, he would ruin some furniture before falling asleep at dawn. Taekwoon tends to avoid hunters because they usually shoot first and ask questions later and he knows what a silver knife feels like against his skin. He doesn’t need to be reminded.

“He was young,” Taekwoon tries but he sounds pathetic even when he says it. “Another vampire was there and he… He would have died. The hunter.” 

Wonshik turns off the shower, wiping whatever blood is still on Taekwoon’s cheeks with his finger. Taekwoon stands and sways, Wonshik’s arm around his waist and his pants completely soaked through but the blood is gone now. He should be grateful and he would be if he didn’t want to burn to a crisp just so Wonshik wouldn't have to remember this.

The werewolf clicks tongue a few times before frowning. He looks younger, somehow. “I don’t have anything to say to you,” he says, avoiding Taekwoon’s eyes. “You’re old enough to know how to take care of yourself.”

He fetches a towel for Taekwoon and leaves the bathroom, leaving Taekwoon alone with his thoughts and standing still, the towel limp in his grasp. He hears the front door open and Jaehwan begins to yell only because there’s blood in the doorway. Wonshik tries to calm him down but Jaehwan barges into the bathroom, steam still circling around Taekwoon’s shoulders and his eyes soften but he’s still frowning.

“Blood on the carpet?” he asks but it’s more of an accusation and Taekwoon flushes, covering his chest in embarrassment. Jaehwan looks to Wonshik in the next room before he lets go of the doorknob to crack his knuckles. “Are you hurt or is it… someone else’s blood?”

 _He’s scared,_ Taekwoon realises and he quickly dries himself so he can drop the towel despite his embarrassment, his body completely unmarked by blood or wounds for Jaehwan to see and judge for himself. 

“I’m well,” he says quickly and Jaehwan blinks. “It’s vampire blood, even then. Not a human.” Taekwoon would never drag blood back into their apartment or even his own because that’s disgusting and Jaehwan doesn’t need more blood on his shoes after coming home from work.

Jaehwan sighs, a small smile on his face. He doesn’t say anything and Taekwoon is somewhat grateful, Wonshik handing him some dry pants. He changes quickly so he can leave, not wanting to put Wonshik through more fear and Jaehwan through heartache.

“Not so fast,” Wonshik says when Taekwoon tries to zip out, his wolf hearing aiding him because he’s able to hear Taekwoon’s quick shuffling as he tries to grab his coat. “Why did you save him? You’re not stupid, hyung, so why did you do it?”

“Must you call me hyung in such a condescending way?” Taekwoon whines, his hands gripping Wonshik’s arm where it’s wrapped around his waist and he’s pushed back into the living room. Wonshik sits on the couch, patting the seat next to him with a stupid smile.

Taekwoon sits, Jaehwan throwing him a shirt that smells like Wonshik. It’s too big for him but the irony of a vampire in a _Bring Me The Horizon_ t-shirt can not be lost on Jaehwan’s pranking mind. He fiddles with the amount of holes in the collar and the hem of the shirt, his skin showing through. He looks between the two of them, Jaehwan sitting in one of the single chairs, before cracking his neck. 

“He was… intoxicated,” he says slowly, cautious. The hunter wasn’t drunk, per se, but he wasn’t completely sober. He was experienced enough but the vampire had the upper hand and Taekwoon knew in his gut that the hunter would have been killed, as well as the woman that had been glamoured. 

He tells Wonshik and Jaehwan all of this, not bothering to leave out the fact that he stayed long enough to see the hunter’s brother show up and check over him for wounds. He intended to stay to make sure the vampire didn’t get up after Taekwoon ripped out his throat so that the two hunters wouldn’t have to deal with a half dead vampire following them home.

“I thought monsters didn’t like hunters?” Jaehwan asks, chewing his lip. Wonshik looks stupid with how he’s trying to form an answer but Taekwoon doesn’t bother trying to save him.

“Yes and no?” Wonshik attempts before frowning, his eyebrow twitching. “It’s different for every species. Werewolves just avoid them but some hunters kill wolves for sport and we get caught in that too. Vampires are usually only hunted if they’re causing trouble, same with incubi and succubi. And shapeshifters. All monsters, really.”

“He didn’t attack me or threaten me,” Taekwoon adds quickly, fiddling with his hands. He’s digging himself a hole but whatever. “He couldn’t have been older than twenty-one. He looked very young.”

“Awh,” Jaehwan coos, standing up and pinching Taekwoon’s cheek before going to the kitchen, the kettle boiling after a moment. “Taekwoon-hyung and his love for children.”

“Yeah, but he likes young children, like babies and stuff, not twenty-one year olds,” Wonshik frowns, leaning back in his chair as he sits his feet up on the table.

“Everyone’s a young child to hyung,” Jaehwan laughs and Taekwoon is growing more and more embarrassed and uncomfortable with the progression of this conversation. Compared to Taekwoon, Wonshik and Jaehwan aren’t even newborn babies. They’re more than three and a half centuries younger than Taekwoon and it’s strange to think that he’s being lectured by two people who weren’t even alive in the eighties.

Taekwoon stands because he really best be going and Wonshik watches him, his eyes still blood red and unblinking. They stare at each other, Taekwoon’s eyes glowing a dirty yellow before Wonshik’s eyes fade and he properly looks up, his expression clearing.

“You’re concerned,” Taekwoon states and Wonshik winces, the vampire’s voice echoing through his mind and forcing him to speak. Wonshik hates it when he does it but if he doesn’t, the werewolf won’t speak his mind and later on, it will bite them both in the ass.

“I am,” Wonshik spits but shakes his head to get Taekwoon’s voice out of his head. “But like I said, you’re old enough to know how to take care of yourself.”

“I hate it when you are the hyung,” Taekwoon sighs but it earns a smile from Wonshik, the two of them gripping each other’s hands in goodbye. Wonshik means well; he always has and Taekwoon admires him for it. Their species are supposed to hate each other and yet Taekwoon would give up his immortality just so that Wonshik could see another day. He’d do the same for Jaehwan in a heartbeat and sometimes that scares him but he knows that this is what love feels like. A different kind, but love all the same.

Taekwoon leaves, ignoring his body clock that’s warning him of the dawn and makes it home, curling up in his own bed. The windows are sunlight proof and Taekwoon feels calmer being in his own apartment, his arms wrapped around himself in a weird form of comfort.

He did something good today, he knows. The hunter didn’t attack him and he didn’t look like he could have, honestly. But Taekwoon helped him, rather than saved him and went on his way. The hunter had managed to stab the vampire so that had made Taekwoon’s task a little easier.

He closes his eyes tightly to try and get his mind to stop thinking. He did a good thing today and that’s all that matters. He doubts he’ll ever see that man again so he and Wonshik have nothing to panic over, even if it is risky to aid a hunter when their sole job is to kill people like Taekwoon.

*** 

He needs to feed. 

Again. 

Since he didn't get to feed a few nights ago, he sucks it up and heads out. Jaehwan is at work like usual and as far as he knows, Wonshik is at his sister’s. Taekwoon is alone tonight and he needs to feed. 

Vampire blood to another vampire isn't enough. For some, it’s addicting like it is to humans but Taekwoon finds it metallic, tasteless. It eats away at whatever blood he originally had in him, and after that night, he doesn't want to repeat that. He hates vomiting and when he's forced to do it, it’s even worse. He managed to get it out of his system which is better than anything but he's running low. It’s been five days since the _incident._

Glamour and feed. He's been doing this for years that it’s not longer a challenge, muscle memory almost. He knows when to bite and where to do it, so he won't be caught and he won't hurt whoever he’s feeding from. He never feeds from the same person twice, lest they remember him and the last time he tried to feed from someone without thinking, he had gotten body slammed by a six foot tall werewolf. 

After the second person, he thinks of stopping but he likes to be full and after he experienced his throat being lit on fire from his own stomach acid, he doesn't want to risk that again. 

It’s his fourth when _he_ shows up again and Taekwoon has just about had enough of being half alive at that point. He lets the girl go after closing her wrist, stroking her arm as she sways happily, that hunter standing in the opening of the alleyway watching. 

Taekwoon doesn't think that the hunter will kill him even with the silver knife in his hand. Taekwoon doesn't want to be here and he's about to bolt because this situation is not on his to-do list and his face is covered in blood again. He’s not exactly Hollywood’s hottest vampire right now and he wants this night to be over now that he's full. 

He jumps, hanging onto one of the fire escapes before the hunter’s eyes widen and Taekwoon curses. The woman is still there, glamoured but alive. He drops down, crouching slightly. He’ll attack if he’s provoked but he really can't be bothered and this hunter doesn't seem like the type to kill him in cold blood. 

He glares at the hunter, a little angry and looks into the eyes of his victim, whispering so soft that the hunter can't hear even if he wanted to. The woman smiles before stumbling down the alleyway, ignoring both of them and laughing all the while. 

"Woah! It's okay," the hunter eases when Taekwoon goes to escape through the fire escapes again, like Taekwoon is a scared animal and he supposes he might look like that, his face covered in blood and eyes wide. It’s alike to how they met a few days prior, the blood on his chin just like then but this time, it's human and not another vampire’s. 

Taekwoon stares at him and the hunter still has a knife in his hand. He glances between him and the knife and the hunter finally focuses back on Taekwoon, his eyes equally wife. "It's okay!" he says again and has half a mind to drop his knife and kick it away. "I promise. I'm sorry, did it scare you?" 

Taekwoon really wishes the sun would just rise so he can die. He’s been thinking that a lot lately. He should probably get that checked out. 

*** 

Sanghyuk walking in on a vampire feeding was not how he thought his night would go. He’s not even supposed to be in this area but he got a call from a nearby hunter asking for backup so he took it. Extra pay is more comfort for him. 

But he just watched the vampire who let him _go_ a week or so prior feeding from a woman and now they’re staring at each other after the woman who just got her blood sipped from her wrist waltzed past him without a care in the world. His chest is on fire and his necklace feels like it’s searing itself into his sternum but he ignores it as best as he can. 

The vampire straightens, his yellow eyes glowing in the moonlight and he looks... cute, when he frowns, his lips covered in blood but plump. His mouth is small but Sanghyuk has seen how long his fangs are. Twice now. And he still tried to calm the vampire down when he is the one who could die in this scenario. 

Han Sanghyuk is smart but he’s definitely not the brightest when he’s put on the spot. 

"It is not that," the vampire says in reply to his earlier attempts at easing the situation into something more normal. As if a hunter and vampire not attacking each other is anything normal. 

Sanghyuk is mesmerized by how soft his voice is, actually. His entire face is soft, his cheeks round and even his lips look soft, plump and warm. The vampire is strong, a little shorter than Sanghyuk but his shoulders are wide, filling his coat well and he wears his hair in a longer style, black and silky. It looks recently cut, his ears just covered and they’re pierced as well, black simple earrings dotting his lobes. 

"You should not be speaking to me, hunter," he says quickly, scowling and Sanghyuk swallows. 

"Why?" he asks because he's nothing if not a curious child despite knowing how to shoot something and kill it instantly without having to reload. After the other night, he wants to know why this vampire didn’t just kill him instead of letting him _and_ Hongbin go. "Are you going to kill me?" 

The vampire scoffs, shaking his head and the necklace on his chest rattles. It’s a crucifix, just like Sanghyuk which confuses him. As far as he knows, vampires can’t even say the Lord’s name, let alone wear a damn crucifix. The vampire dresses like an old englishman now that he thinks about it with a thick overcoat and tucked in shirt, boots beautifully shined. 

"I did not kill you then," the vampire says, "so why would I now? Even if I wanted to, it would be very futile of me. You have a friend who I'm assuming would like my head on a stick." 

"Do you always talk this much?" Sanghyuk laughs and gasps when the vampire glares and disappears, up the fire escape. "Come on!" he says, turning in a circle in the alley but he’s laughing, clueless and lightheaded. "I was kidding! Please come back." 

"And for what?" the vampire says and Sanghyuk turns for him to be behind him, a lot closer than before. He can feel his breath on his face, the threat of fangs present but not enough to make Sanghyuk afraid. "Why should I speak to you, hunter? You have had many opportunities to kill me and you do kill my kind. I kill yours, as well. Why should I speak to you?" 

Sanghyuk blinks before sizing him up, knowing this vampire could kill him instantly but hasn't yet so Sanghyuk must be doing something right. He is taller and probably a little stupid for doing this but the vampire just stares at him, the scleras of his eyes tinted with red. "Because you killed a vampire for me and I want to know why." 

The vampire scowls, taking a step back. He looks annoyed but afraid at the same time, as if something has just occurred to him. "Let it go,” he urges, his fangs on display as he clenches his jaw. “It was nothing special." 

"Then why do it?" Sanghyuk replies, stepping forward. They could do this all night but Sanghyuk wants answers and preferably wants to get them without dying tonight. "You could have left me to die. Or even then, I'm a hunter. Why could I not have to killed that vampire?" 

"He would have drained you dry," the vampire breathes, his eyes back to almost being black in colour, his chin lifted defiantly. He’s young, it seems, but only in age. His face is older than Sanghyuk’s but his eyes hold centuries. "So I drained him. Vampires need to feed to live but to take a life in the process is wrong." 

Sanghyuk pauses, stunned by his answer. He blinks, the vampire’s eyes on the wall and Sanghyuk notices that he is still covered in blood but it surprisingly doesn't bother him. It’s dark against his perfect skin and he looks terrifying but he’s not afraid of the vampire at all. He’s strangely comforted, just like he was when they first met. 

"Can you tell me your name?" he asks and the vampire scoffs again, eyeing him suspiciously. It’s a stupid question and Sanghyuk is pushing his luck but it’s worth a shot. 

"Little hunter," he sighs before shaking his head, kicking a rock into the wall. He shakes out his hair, cracking his neck in the process. "God, help me,” he curses before looking straight at Sanghyuk, his eyes brown now but still rimmed with blood. “It is Taekwoon." 

"You can say the Lord's name?" Sanghyuk blurts before slapping a hand over his mouth. 

Taekwoon shakes his head again, looking pleased more than upset and Sanghyuk composes himself, picking up his knife again. It immediately startles Taekwoon but Sanghyuk shoves it into his belt, holding his hands out. Taekwoon looks ready to bolt again, his eyes wide and hands flexing to grab the fire escape above him. 

"My name is Sanghyuk," he says quickly. They’re staring intensely at each other, neither of them blinking. Taekwoon’s weapon is his entire body but Sanghyuk only has a knife; it’s obvious who will win. "Han Sanghyuk. I'm twenty-two,” he adds because he feels it’s important. “I won’t hurt you.” 

Taekwoon looks confused for a second but he relaxes a little, his eyes settling on one place over Sanghyuk’s shoulder and he stands up straight. "Well, Han Sanghyuk. Goodnight." He purses his lips before sniffing, shaking his head a final time before he’s gone for good, Sanghyuk alone in an alleyway that smells too much like blood to be ignored. 

Sanghyuk feels calm, though, despite the scent of blood hanging thickly in the air, clogging up his nose. He steps out of the alleyway, knowing he won’t find anything more tonight. His chest has stopped screaming at him which he’s grateful for but he now has a dull ache in his ribcage that he knows from experience will last for a few hours before finally leaving him alone. 

When Sanghyuk returns home, Hongbin is cleaning his guns in the living room, the scent of grease and gunpowder in the air. His back is turned to Sanghyuk but once the door clicks closed, he’s on his feet with a gun pointed at Sanghyuk. 

Sanghyuk raises his hands and Hongbin takes a breath, clicking the safety of the gun back on and sitting down again like that was the most normal reaction in the world. For them, it is but if Sanghyuk was anyone else, Hongbin pointing a gun at you would probably make you cry. 

“Are you hurt?” Hongbin asks when Sanghyuk sits next to him, watching his small hands work on the gun. He glances at Sanghyuk, his eyes a little bloodshot but nothing compared to the unique gaze of Taekwoon. 

_I need to go to bed,_ Sanghyuk thinks before pursing his lips, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m fine, hyung. The other hunters are too so it’s no problem.” He smiles, getting comfortable. “Did you miss me?” 

Hongbin scoffs, placing down the gun and the rag hanging over his knee is dirty, spotted with black. He ruffles Sanghyuk’s black hair before pushing his head away. “Don’t push it, Hyogi. Do you want dinner?” 

“Are you cooking it?” 

“Fuck no,” Hongbin spits, standing up and throwing the rag in his face. They’re both terrible cooks but they know enough to get by. It’s mostly take out and cup ramen but they can cook eggs and toast without burning down anything now. Sanghyuk can’t cook kimchi for shit but his scrambled eggs are damn good and he’s proud of it. 

They end up chewing through two cups of ramen each before Sanghyuk showers, ending up sitting in the bathtub with a frown. Hongbin is in the bedroom, changing the sheets and Sanghyuk feels strange in this moment, confused. 

He isn’t afraid of Taekwoon and he knows that if he were to tell Hongbin, his brother would probably kick him out on his ass so quickly, his head would spin. He has to keep it to himself and he will for the most part but Taekwoon taught him more about vampires in one night than Hongbin ever did in all his life. 

As far as Sanghyuk knew, vampires could not say the Lord’s name or even step foot in a church. Crucifixes make them ill and burn them at the touch, much like prayers or hymns, but Taekwoon was wearing one plain as day against his chest. It had to be a different metal, obviously, but it didn’t even make him sick. It was worn too; Taekwoon had that piece for some time now. Sanghyuk knew pure silver would harm a vampire and that applied to shapeshifters and werewolves alike. Taekwoon didn’t seem to have an issue with Sanghyuk’s necklace vibrating throughout the entirety of their conversation but he didn’t touch it himself. He doesn’t know what would happen if a vampire were to touch his necklace. 

After all this, Sanghyuk is still confused as to why he felt so calm in Taekwoon’s presence. He’s supposed to hate vampires like Hongbin. He’s supposed to despise their creation, the very thing they were created to do and yet Sanghyuk felt _protected_ by Taekwoon. He’s been killing vampires since he was fifteen and his second mother died at the hands of someone who could have been Taekwoon’s sister for all he knows. He feels like a fool but Taekwoon didn’t even try to glamour him. He would have felt it and it would not have worked. 

Taekwoon hasn’t done anything to hurt him so why does Sanghyuk feel so defeated? 

In a way, he feels guilty. He won’t tell Hongbin because his brother wouldn’t understand. He most likely wouldn’t even listen if Sanghyuk brought up a hypothetical situation, even if it was coming from his little brother. It’s hard to wrap his mind around the fact that Sanghyuk even spoke to a vampire without getting wounded or slammed into a wall. Taekwoon has crushed his perspective that was already crumbling into dust and maybe he’s being overdramatic but he feels different after tonight. He doubts he’ll ever see Taekwoon again but it was nice to at least debunk common vampire myths that Sanghyuk didn’t think about often enough. 

Sanghyuk shuts off the shower, standing up from where he had been sitting in the tub and he sways a little, the blood rushing to his head too quickly. He wraps a towel around his waist before checking his face in the mirror, wiping the fog from it. 

He’s definitely grown up. Twenty-two isn’t a teenager year so Sanghyuk doesn’t expect himself to look like a baby but his jaw is sharper than what it was before. His eyes are older than anything else, much like Taekwoon’s. They both have been their own horrors, it seems. 

Sanghyuk needs to shave but he’s too tired tonight. He’ll leave it for tomorrow morning and just that thought makes him smile. He and Hongbin both have to shave around the same time but Hongbin hates how he looked with stubble, while Sanghyuk will just rub his face against his brother’s cheek to make him scream. 

He washes his face quickly, grabbing some boxers from the drawers under the sink so he can finally go to bed. Hongbin is already there and Sanghyuk catches the shirt that’s thrown at him, slipping it on before looking at his brother. 

Hongbin is reading their journal full of monsters, paused on the vampire pages and Sanghyuk squints at it. According to them, vampires burn in the sun no matter what. That seems too absolute to be true. If Sanghyuk sees Taekwoon again, he’ll have to ask him. 

Already making plans. Sanghyuk finally lies down in their shared bed, Hongbin’s bedside light still on. He needs to sleep and stop thinking about Taekwoon but his mind is running on and on and Hongbin is growing uneasy next to him. 

He slips off into the darkness before Hongbin can ask him anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and now.. they have met


	3. chapter three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s on all fours, panting like he’s been walking for days and with the brain matter all over him, he looks like a rabid animal. He’s something of nightmares, covered in shifter skin, blood and bile, his eyes wide and unblinking. His breath is coming out in puffs, the cold air making him look like he’s exhaling smoke and his hair is matted and wild at the same time. He won’t forgive Sanghyuk for this.

He should tell someone.

Taekwoon spoke to a hunter, learnt his name and felt comfortable with him but he’s the one sitting on the roof of his apartment building, his legs crossed and he’s not even wearing shoes. He’s been up here since the sun set, just reeling in his thoughts and he’s alone but not, his thoughts his company but he misses Wonshik and Jaehwan, who he know hasn’t seen for two weeks.

He should tell someone.

Right?

He feels guilty, almost. He never hides anything from Wonshik or Jaehwan, frankly because he can’t. He’s not a bad liar and he could use easily shift through their minds and shuffle their thoughts until they screamed but Taekwoon would never do that to anyone he cares for and he feels sick even thinking about doing that. He can’t even do that to people he’s supposed to see as prey.

The moon is high and Taekwoon lets his fangs slip out, stretching his jaw in the process. It relaxes him in a peculiar way, as if letting the beast inside him out will take away his troubles. His fangs bring him horror and comfort at the same time and right now, he’s confused at what he should be feeling. He’s a monster, alive for centuries and yet he’s confused over how he should feel, what he should do. It’s unfamiliar to him beyond belief and he’s not used to questioning himself.

Sanghyuk is young like he thought. So young and already hunting monsters and beasts that look much like Taekwoon in the shadows. He’s unsure how long Sanghyuk has been hunting and he hates that he can’t get his mind to stop thinking about him but he can’t because Sanghyuk was only curious and Taekwoon just can’t keep his mouth shut. The second time they had ever met was so similar to the first that it made Taekwoon laugh, almost. Taekwoon, the vampire, covered in blood that didn’t belong to him and Sanghyuk, the hunter, too curious for his own good and defenseless, his knife thrown to the ground and glinting in the moonlight, much like Taekwoon’s skin.

_It is too much hardship to think of,_ Taekwoon thinks as he lies on his rooftop, staring up at the night sky. This is where he finds the most comfort, under the skies that have seen it all, have seen him be born and seen him die. The skies that have seen him birthed again, his bones churning in his body as he breathed for the last time, his heart cold and unbeating, his skin paling right in front of his eyes as he stared at his hands. These skies have seen it all; they know Jung Taekwoon better than anyone, and the moon knows him like her own child as that is what he is. The moon is his constant, his real sire, and he will worship her until he reaches his final death. 

Taekwoon sighs, his forced breath forming a cloud in front of him and he closes his eyes for a moment. He lives in the new age, the world rapidly changing around him. He can feel everything in his pockets, from his old pocket watch to his phone, something Jaehwan had forced him to get. He doesn’t know how to use to still but he knows that when it vibrates, it’s a message from either Jaehwan or Wonshik. He never remembers to charge it but that’s not the case now. His phone is constantly vibrating which means he has a call, if Taekwoon remembers correctly. 

He fishes it out of his pocket, looking at the screen and it’s Jaehwan, judging by the contact photo of him. He answers it but waits for Jaehwan to speak first, the nurse clearing his throat before breathing heavily. _“Hyung?”_ he says and it sounds like he’s on a bus. _“Are you there?”_

“Yes,” Taekwoon answers simply and Jaehwan begins to swear, asking where he is and what he’s doing. He apparently thought Taekwoon was dead and that he had better stop by their apartment soon because Wonshik is worried sick and Jaehwan hasn’t been sleeping well without hearing anything from Taekwoon.

“I did not mean to upset you,” Taekwoon tries and Jaehwan stops hissing at him suddenly, as if stunned by his response. Taekwoon really is apologetic; he would never make either of them worry on purpose but he has been in hiding for two weeks, trying to distract himself from himself and his gruesome thoughts. “I am sorry, Jaehwanie.”

Jaehwan hesitates but sniffs, clicking his tongue. _“It’s… I forgive you, hyung. I can stop by your apartment if you’d like? At least you figured out how to charge and answer your phone so well done.”_

Taekwoon checks his pocket watch quickly. It’s nearing three in the morning and he hopes he’s not keeping Jaehwan awake but his friends will be adamant about seeing him half alive and well. “You can come by,” he says and Jaehwan hangs up after that, leaving Taekwoon laying on his roof with his phone pressed to his ear. It will hang up by itself, he supposes and closes his eyes. He’s not tired, per se, but he is not prepared for the endless questioning from a wolf and human who he calls his brothers but he must. He has been away for too long.

It’s empty in his apartment. The walls are blank and Jaehwan has been hanging off him to paint them but Taekwoon has refused many times. He knows how to paint and if he wanted to, he could, but he prefers the cold space of his apartment. He doesn’t like trinkets or things that could easily fall because with his speed, they would shatter within days of Taekwoon owning them. But the countless books on his shelves were steady enough and he likes them enough. They don’t move when he rushes past and that’s what he spends his time doing, when he’s not with Wonshik and Jaehwan or hunting. He loves poetry, the simplicity of so few words and the impact they carry. He’s been alive for so long and yet poetry only continues to grow and age with him, young people diving into the art and creating new texts for Taekwoon to read and study in the early hours of the night while the world rests, the city still alive with wonder.

His door is opened and Taekwoon’s senses are overwhelmed with _Wonshik_ before anything else. Before he can stand, Wonshik tackles him to the ground, sitting on his stomach and rendering Taekwoon defenseless. His arms are in Wonshik’s grasp, pinned to the the floor above him and the wolf more of less lies on top of Taekwoon, their chests pressed together but Wonshik is so damn _heavy._

“I invited you,” Taekwoon wheezes, trying to throw Wonshik off him. “And you- you sit on me?”

“All in good fun,” Wonshik replies with a toothy smile, grabbing Taekwoon’s face and squeezing his cheeks together. “Why haven’t you come to see us? Do I really smell that bad?”

“That is besides the point,” Taekwoon says but with his cheeks pressed together, it comes out strange. He shakes his head to get Wonshik to let go and he sits up, rolling off him. Taekwoon sits up himself and Jaehwan helps him to his feet, hugging him tightly once he’s up.

Taekwoon realises that Jaehwan’s heart is beating rapidly against his ribcage. He’s scared, just like he said Wonshik was but Taekwoon hugs him back, being careful not to literally crush Jaehwan in his grasp. He’s yet to do that to someone, thankfully.

“I am sorry,” he whispers and Jaehwan shakes his head in his shoulder, rubbing his shoulder blades. “You’ve been worried. I am sorry for the trouble I must have caused.”

“It’s my job to worry,” Jaehwan laughs as he pulls away. Wonshik is looking at him, regarding him with suspicion despite his greeting and Taekwoon feels the guilt from earlier resurfacing, stabbing his black heart with a thousand tiny needles.

He needs to tell them, even if it does not seem like a future issue. Taekwoon shouldn’t hide this from them because for all he knows, a hunter could not only hurt him, but Wonshik too. He is old enough to know what he’s doing and he’s smart enough to make logical decisions (meeting and talking with a hunter isn’t one of them but alas). Wonshik deserves to know, at the very least.

“I saw the hunter again,” he says, his hand still around Jaehwan’s waist and the hair on Wonshik’s arms immediately raises, his defenses raised. Jaehwan senses the tension, stepping away from both of them and he steps out onto Taekwoon’s balcony, realising that this is a conversation that has to happen between monsters. Wonshik sits down on his couch, looking up at Taekwoon with question in his eyes. It’s Taekwoon’s choice whether he wants to tell Wonshik everything and he knows he must.

“We spoke,” he says as he sits down too, keeping close to himself. Wonshik won’t hurt him but he doesn’t like it when the wolf gets angry. “He did not harm me. Or threaten me, even. His name is Sanghyuk and he’s twenty-two years old.”

Wonshik stares at him for a moment, his brow furrowed deeply. “What do you want me to say to you, hyung?” he says, a little desperately. 

Taekwoon doesn’t know what he wants. He doesn’t even know why he didn’t run when Sanghyuk even showed up but Taekwoon is a strange creature. He doesn’t understand vampires and he sure doesn’t understand humans despite being one many years ago. He doesn’t understand anything at this point. Aren’t you supposed to get wiser with age? he wonders like a fool.

He crosses his legs like a child, looking down at his hands. “I’m unsure, Wonshik. Should I think myself a fool or does any of this make sense?”

“It doesn’t… not make sense,” Wonshik says slowly, still frowning. “You’re… You’ve encountered more hunters than I ever will. You weren’t scared, though.” He rubs his face, his fingernails always black because of his claws. “I’m angry, I think. But… Hyung, I know you’re not stupid. Why did you speak to him?”

“That is the question!” Taekwoon reaches forward and grabs Wonshik’s hands, squeezing tightly and it startles the wolf. _“He_ spoke to _me._ He asked me many questions and yet he didn’t threaten me. Hunters are not like that, Wonshik.” He shakes his head, his hair swishing too. “I think… that we are in strange times.”

“I hate it when you talk like that,” Wonshik growls, pulling his hands from Taekwoon’s grasp. “You sound like an old scholar.” He sighs, looking away. “Do what you want. I’ll help you when you’re in trouble, though. But I won’t let you forget it.”

Taekwoon smiles, sitting back. He quickly opens the door and lets Jaehwan back inside, their conversation ending. Wonshik trusts him more than anything and that is all Taekwoon needs. The guilt from before has been buried by new feelings of pride. 

There’s more than enough room for Jaehwan to sit by himself but he sits in Wonshik’s lap, his arms around his shoulders. It’s almost as if they ache when they’re apart. Taekwoon doesn’t know how Jaehwan goes to work every day without Wonshik hanging from him. He supposes that’s love.

Jaehwan looks up at Taekwoon and smiles at him, making his chest ease. Taekwoon doesn’t have any food in his apartment because he doesn’t eat but he does have a phone and he knows Wonshik loves Pad Thai. It might be best for all of them to just have a meal together again, even if Taekwoon can’t eat.

They order in and Wonshik has his head in Jaehwan’s lap after a while, gazing up at him lovingly. Jaehwan is simply eating and yet Taekwoon can feel the emotions slithering from his boyfriend. It’s so strong that Taekwoon looks away, happy to just exist in this moment with them.

He shakes his head, smiling softly. It is a strange life he leads and yet he would not change it for another. A new life was given to him and a new age gave him Jaehwan and Wonshik, the only two people to ever call him a friend instead of a demon and worry for him. It’s ironic because vampires are rumoured to be incapable of love and yet, Taekwoon is completely and utterly filled with love for his two best friends, despite what he is and what the people call him. 

Love is a strange thing.

*** 

“So, get this.” 

Sanghyuk slides into the seat next to Hongbin, his brother twisting the laptop to let him see. It’s an article on a strange case, a nest of shifters in the area, it seems. Locals are leaving it up to speculation because human skin sticky in the streets next to bile and too much blood isn’t easy to explain unless some serial killer has randomly shows up. 

“We taking it ourselves?” he asks with a smile and Hongbin brings up his document that has the address and other information that Sanghyuk probably won’t bother to read. 

“We can,” Hongbin answers, his glasses high on his nose and he’s completely focused on the laptop. “There’s other hunters in the area that I can call in. Chanshik?” 

“Gongchan?” Sanghyuk laughs but he shrugs. If they need backup then they can call hunters in the area and Chansik is very reliable, along with his hunting pack. They’ve worked a few cases together in the past and it’s easy to just have a few beers and burgers afterwards because Hongbin and Chansik get along so well. The familiarity of fellow hunters really helps, especially those that are all older than Sanghyuk. 

“If we need it then yeah,” Sanghyuk tells his brother. Hongbin hums, closing his laptop quickly. They get to work on packing up, gathering their supplies and setting off. The sun is going to set and it’s better to hit a nest early in the night when it’s more likely for the shifters to be there. 

Hongbin stops before they can pile into the car, fishing out his phone nervously. “Should we call Chansik?” 

He’s worried but Sanghyuk shakes his head, smiling. “Don’t worry. We can handle a few shifters, don’t you think?” 

“I can, but can you?” Hongbin teases, pushing his face away from him and getting into the car. The doors creak and only one of the headlights works but it gets the job done. They’ve had the car for years and Sanghyuk is the one who knows how to drive, not Hongbin. It’s funny that way; Hongbin’s afraid of crashing and Sanghyuk drives way too fast to be considered legal. 

Sanghyuk buckles himself in and they head off, the sun setting as they drive to their destination, Hongbin watching the buildings pass by them as Sanghyuk speeds off, long since used to Sanghyuk never slowing down. 

Sanghyuk has a feeling it’s going to be a long night. 

Sanghyuk can feel the stickiness of the blood on his skin. It’s everywhere, in his hair and on his face. 

He can’t lose focus though. 

There’s some vampires supposedly here too as well as the nest of shifters and he can smell the scent of shedded sticky skin. Shifter nests have and always will be disgusting because of the skin, blood and even bones that litter the place, rotting as the shifters live in their filth. He hears gunshots and grunting all around him, the struggle evident and he lost Hongbin in the last room but he’s not worried. Hongbin’s good with shifters and he knows how to tell which ones are the weakest and when to strike so he doesn’t have to deal with the extra skin and bile. They always both end up covered though. 

They manage to clear the nest or at least what’s inside and Hongbin is covered in slime and bile, Sanghyuk managing to avoid most of it but his pants definitely need to be burned and his hair desperately needs to be scrubbed. He still smiles at Hongbin, who takes off his protective yellow glasses to throw them away, grabbing the gasoline from the car. Shifter bodies have to burn so that they don’t just regenerate and come back, morphing together to form a new body. The vampires that were supposedly here aren’t, thankfully and Sanghyuk can’t sense any nearby. They’re not in the middle of the city but definitely not in the country so they’re just lucky they got this over with quickly rather than shocking a bunch of humans. 

Once they’re done with the gasoline, they go to light their matches but that’s when they hear it. The groaning and whining, coming closer from up the street. Hongbin scowls, cursing that he _just threw out his glasses._ There’s more than what were in the nest and Sanghyuk swallows, staring at his brother over the top of the car. Hongbin sighs, reloading his shotgun, muttering and cursing the whole time. 

“Alright,” he says, looking up at Sanghyuk. “Let’s do this. I want to go home.” 

Sanghyuk grins, grabbing his guns again and reloading quickly, following Hongbin as they led the shifters further back, milling them down at a safe distance. There’s a lot more than he thought and they continue to get closer, some of them faster than the others. 

The house will burn afterwards so Sanghyuk heads to it, splitting from Hongbin and taking two shifters with him. He’s able to kill one that’s close to him, kicking it back into the other before shooting that one in the head, brain matter spraying on the floor. The fire will reach the bodies and take care of it. 

“Hey!” he screams when he sees Hongbin biting off more than he can chew, smacking some in the head with the butt of his shotgun. A few from the outside follow Sanghyuk’s voice, acting more like zombies more than anything else. It’s strange but Hongbin must have underestimated this area because this amount of shifters here means there’s another nest nearby. 

Sanghyuk runs out of bullets, throwing his gun and hitting a shift square in the nose. It’s difficult and he has to back himself up the stairs, two shifters running over each other to try and catch him. He only has his knife on him now and when he turns, the shifter is a lot closer than he thought it would be. 

_Why the fuck are they so fast?_ Sanghyuk curses when the shifter grabs him, about to bite but Sanghyuk decides it’d be better for him to not only escape the other shifter but take this one with him over the railing of the upper floor. 

Bad decision. Sanghyuk lands awkwardly, pain shooting up his leg and he barely has enough time to roll away from the shifter and stab it in the chest when it climbs on top of him, screeching and panting. Sanghyuk grimaces when the bile lands on his neck, the blood from the wound in the shifter gushing all over him. 

He hurls the shifters off him, sees the other one about to jump from the upper floor and he hisses when he rolls again, trying to stand but his knee is definitely not in the right place and luckily, he guts the shifter when he moves away. The other has jumped and Sanghyuk surges up, jamming his knife through its jaw as it spits blood at him. He really wishes he had Hongbin’s glasses. 

Walking is hard but Sanghyuk needs to get to Hongbin. He can still hear gunshots which is better than nothing and when he gets to the front door, he hears Hongbin scream. 

“Fuck off!” his brother shouts, slicing through one’s neck and he’s on the road, about to back into a white picket fence. He’ll be cornered in a few moments. 

Sanghyuk scrambles out too, his knee shooting pain up the entire right side of his body and he falls, hissing as he hits the concrete. His gun is inside and the car door is hanging open so he manages to get there, hopping more than anything and grabs one of Hongbin’s revolvers, the bullets silver and shining. He shoots one into the air and Hongbin comes into view again, looking like a blood covered predator. 

They really should have called Chansik. 

Hongbin disappears and Sanghyuk doesn’t see anything afterwards because a shifter has grabbed him and thrown him to the ground, up top of him and screaming his face. Sanghyuk is resisting as best as he can and they’re lucky that shifter bites won’t turn them. You have to be born a shifter but getting bitten still fucking hurts and Sanghyuk can’t be bothered dealing with that. 

But it stops. At least for a moment. 

There’s no screaming or screeching, even from Hongbin and Sanghyuk’s view is clear, the night sky above him. A strange sense of calm washes over him and for a moment, he thinks Chansik is here. He hopes _someone_ is here and he’s not dead but everything is in slow motion and this nest isn’t too far out from the city. It’s more so on the kind of rich outskirts of the city, actually, which makes it all the more annoying. Anyone could see them but usually when people hear gunshots and screaming, they tend not to get too curious. 

He hears the vampires more than feels them and the shifter that was on top of him is lying across the road now, ripped clean in half. It’s insides are still pulsing and it’s twitching, still trying to grasp something but the vampires aren’t there anymore, running down the street past Hongbin who’s managed to kill two out of five of the shifters that surround him but he’s on the ground now. Hongbin is in danger. 

Hongbin is in danger. 

Sanghyuk blinks, positive that all vampires are gone but either he’s hallucinating or _Taekwoon_ really is near Hongbin, who’s screaming and swearing, gun shots blasting back shifters that are coming at him from all angles. They’re not too far from the city and Taekwoon being here isn’t that strange. Taekwoon’s fighting with Hongbin and he supposes that it’s not that weird considering there were supposed to be vampires here. There’s probably a vampire nest nearby which is where Taekwoon must have come from. 

It’s catastrophic but Sanghyuk stands as best as he can with a dislocated knee, grabbing the revolver and loading it full, using the distance he has as leverage to shoot the unsuspecting shifters to disable them. He’s not close enough to shoot to kill and he won’t risk shooting Hongbin or Taekwoon in the chest. Taekwoon is able to gain the upper hand and either Hongbin is too preoccupied with the shifters or hasn’t realised his other runes are signalling him of a vampire because he fights alongside Taekwoon and soon, the shifters are down, some of them still twitching. Hongbin shoots two in the head for good measure while Taekwoon picks shedded skin off his coat, still looking like a clean English gentleman. It’s over in seconds, nothing a match for Taekwoon or Hongbin despite their differing appearances. 

Hongbin spots Sanghyuk, ignoring Taekwoon and runs to him, skidding on the ground to meet him. Sanghyuk falls back down and hisses when his leg is disturbed. Hongbin notices because he always does and straightens it, clicking it back into place while Sanghyuk grits his teeth and curses, hands gripping his pants just for something to hold. It hurts like a bitch, stinging all through his knee but it’s back in place and that’s the best he could ask for. 

Sanghyuk looks up at Taekwoon who’s standing a little further away, near the bodies of the shifters but his eyes are glowing a pale yellow. Wherever he came from, he doesn’t know but Hongbin looks too and in an instant, his hands are on his gun and it’s pointed at Taekwoon. Both of their runes are seering into their bodies but Sanghyuk feels comfort while Hongbin feels white hot anger. 

The vampire holds his hands up, taking a step back but Hongbin doesn’t lower his gun, even though Taekwoon is surrendering. He goes to open his mouth but Hongbin is nothing if not a creature of habit and Sanghyuk screams when he shoots him clean in the eye, knocking Taekwoon to the ground with a harsh hissing sound. It sounds like firecrackers and that’s Taekwoon’s _flesh_ that’s burning, smelling like barbecue. Taekwoon falls in a heap, his left leg spasming as he groans from the pain, growling all the while. 

“Leave him alone!” Sanghyuk screams, jumping on Hongbin and rolling with him to get the gun out of his hands. Hongbin looks like a savage, his teeth gritted and he’s genuinely fighting Sanghyuk, blood on their faces while they’re both covered in guts and biles, tumbling with each other. But Sanghyuk’s bigger and Hongbin is disarmed easily, Sanghyuk stumbling to a stand and kicking his gun half way down the street with a horrid skidding noise, recently dislocated knee and all. 

He runs to Taekwoon who isn’t moving now and grabs him. The bullet passed through his head and Taekwoon has healed the back of his head already but his eye is still bleeding and most definitely has a hole in it, the flesh caved in and raw. It’s completely gone, ripped through by the bullet but he stares at Sanghyuk, the flesh steaming while the black blood runs down his face. He’s alive though, staring blankly at him and Sanghyuk can’t touch him in his shock, his hands hovering pathetically around his face as he shakes. 

“Why are you bothering?!” Hongbin screams, ripping Sanghyuk’s attention away from Taekwoon. He’s on all fours, panting like he’s been walking for days and with the brain matter all over him, he looks like a rabid animal. He’s something of nightmares, covered in shifter skin, blood and bile, his eyes wide and unblinking. His breath is coming out in puffs, the cold air making him look like he’s exhaling smoke and his hair is matted and wild at the same time. He won’t forgive Sanghyuk for this which he expected but Hongbin, even without his gun, can do a lot of damage and he still has a knife at his hip. “It’s a vampire! Let it fucking die!” 

Taekwoon sits up way too quickly, on his feet and away from Sanghyuk’s shaking hands. He shouldn’t be moving and Sanghyuk’s mouth is dry, his throat tight and full of needles. His movement startles Hongbin and Sanghyuk struggles up by himself, staring at his brother, who’s struggling to stand while Taekwoon stares at him. 

“You don’t have to fear me,” Taekwoon says surprisingly, stepping forward but it just makes Hongbin more angry, the hunter scowling. He grabs and throws his knife from his belt but it misses Taekwoon, landing behind him and Taekwoon is in front of him suddenly, Hongbin’s wrist in his grasp and Taekwoon squeezes, looking into his eyes. Hongbin’s eyes flash yellow before he falls limp, Taekwoon lifting him and turning to Sanghyuk who can only stare. He wants to scream or cry or do something but he’s in pain and Hongbin is passed out in a vampire’s arms, one that Sanghyuk thought he’d never see again. 

Taekwoon’s eye has healed but it’s filled with blood, the iris still a bright yellow. The colours are terrifying and he blinks, shifting Hongbin in his arms. He looks at Sanghyuk in question, eyebrows furrowed. Sanghyuk should be scared of him but he’s not, oddly calm that Taekwoon is even here. 

“He’s still breathing,” Taekwoon reassures and Sanghyuk didn’t ask that but he needed to know it. “We should go before other shapeshifters come. There are other nests.” 

He has no idea what the fuck Taekwoon just did to his brother but he can see Hongbin’s chest rising and falling steadily and that’s enough for him. Taekwoon just answered his question of why he was nearby, anyways. He would take Hongbin but his knee is throbbing and he doesn’t think Taekwoon would be comfortable with carrying his and Hongbin’s guns, especially the one that just shot a bullet through his skull. 

He makes himself busy by lighting the house up as Taekwoon lays Hongbin down so he can bring the bodies to Sanghyuk, throwing them into the steadily burning house. The familiarity of it is frankly absurd but he and Taekwoon work in silence, fishing off the job before Taekwoon takes Hongbin gently into his arms again, taking a breath. 

“Why haven’t you killed us?” Sanghyuk asks when Taekwoon places Hongbin into the back of the car, supporting his head with his thick coat. It’s so human and domestic that Sanghyuk has to take a breath. 

Taekwoon looks offended when he gets into the passenger seat without Sanghyuk, looking back at Hongbin to make sure he’s okay. He looks back at Sanghyuk, his eyes free of blood but still yellow and Sanghyuk thinks him beautiful for a reason he can’t comprehend. “There’s no need,” he says quietly and the innocence on his face is hard to ignore. “I don’t kill for no purpose. Even if I were to feed from either of you, you would not have died from it.” 

Sanghyuk doesn’t say anything else but there’s a car speeding up the road which he recognises as Chansik’s. Hongbin must have called him earlier when they were still hunting the house and he’s driving way too quickly for it not to be an emergency call. 

Taekwoon knows better and he’s gone before Sanghyuk can ask him to leave and Sanghyuk gets out when Chansik pulls up, Jinyoung, Sunwoo and Sandeul stepping out too. Dongwoo isn’t with them which isn’t surprising considering he’s a research specialist but Chansik runs to Sanghyuk and immediately checks him for wounds just like Hongbin would. 

“Where’s Bin?” he breathes to Sanghyuk. “He rang me a little while ago but it took a bit to get here. Is he okay? 

Jinyoung has opened the back seat, checking Hongbin’s pulse and smiling. “He’s fine, Chan,” he reassures like the good brother he is and Chansik nods, smiling too. “Was it a shifter? Toss him around too hard or what?” 

Sanghyuk nods, managing a laugh while Chansik smiles too. “Guess we came a little late, huh?” he muses and Sanghyuk is relieved to feel a little bit normal right now. He remembers when a werewolf knocked Chansik out and Sunwoo had to drag him back to their base because Chanshik is way too heavy for him to carry, apparently. They’re an easy family like that and they somehow never fight. Hongbin and Sanghyuk have always admired them for it. 

Chansik fuses and urges Sanghyuk to leave because he _looks like hell chewed you up and spat you out,_ so Sanghyuk leaves them to handle the bodies. He needs to get Hongbin home and they wish him well, apologising that they got there too late but Sanghyuk is just glad he doesn’t have to clean up the bodies. Maybe that’s selfish but after what’s happened tonight, he’s damn tired and he doesn’t know where Taekwoon has gone or what he’s done to his brother so he’s a little worried. He has a gut feeling that Taekwoon is nearby even if his wards say otherwise. 

Sanghyuk gets to the parking lot of his apartment building easily and looks at Hongbin who’s asleep in the backseat. He can carry him up but that’s going to look really weird on the security cameras, especially with his duffle bags too. He closes the door and turns, finally taking a breath because this whole night is so fucking weird and he really needs to get a grip before he has a breakdown in the middle of his underground parking garage. 

“Taekwoon?” he calls, feeling really idiotic for doing so but he’s done it now so whatever. Vampires can’t be prayed to but Taekwoon has watched him once and he doubts he didn’t do it again tonight. The lights flash in the car park before Taekwoon is in front of him, his speed ruffling Sanghyuk’s shifter infested hair and in seconds, Taekwoon has opened the door and Hongbin is in his arms. 

“Did you handle the bodies?” he asks like it’s the most normal thing ever and Sanghyuk nods, taking their duffles of guns and slinging them over his shoulders. This way, he doesn’t have to make a second trip. It feels like returning home after a hunt with Hongbin only there’s a vampire next to him who is way too kind to be considered a monster. Everything is fucking with his head. 

No one sees them as they go in (thank fucking god because Sanghyuk doesn’t need to explain that) and he unlocks the door to his apartment once they reach it. Sanghyuk steps inside but Taekwoon pauses, Hongbin hiked up to his chest. He’s supporting Hongbin’s neck and his brother just looks like he’s asleep, comfortable almost. 

“Oh,” Sanghyuk breathes, stepping aside to give Taekwoon more room. “Come in.” 

Taekwoon nods and he’s in and out of their bedroom in a flash, returning to Sanghyuk who’s still standing in the doorway with a blank expression. Hongbin hating him after this is an understatement so he selfishly hopes that whatever Taekwoon did to his brother also wiped his memory. Chansik can’t exactly rat him out for what he doesn’t know so he’s safe in that regard. He shouldn’t be trying to justify this but he can’t do much besides try and justify himself. 

Taekwoon’s hand moves and his palm is cold on Sanghyuk’s cheek, a stark reminder of what he is but Sanghyuk _still_ isn’t scared which is what makes him feel sick. It’s been almost a month and a half since they first met and he can’t explain why he doesn’t fear Taekwoon, who ripped a shifter in half with his bare hands tonight. He feels naive and Hongbin can’t even fathom talking to a vampire, let alone having one put him to sleep after he shot him in the eye. Everything is messy and fucked up and now Taekwoon is holding his face like he’s the softest thing in the world and Sanghyuk feels like a childish fool because he feels like he means something to Taekwoon. 

He meets Sanghyuk’s gaze, the two of them looking intently at each other and Sanghyuk touches his wrist softly, blinking slowly. “He’ll remember this?” he whispers because he’s _guilty_ and Taekwoon’s lips part before he nods, swallowing. 

“He may not remember me completely,” Taekwoon says. “Or shooting me. But he will remember this night.” 

Sanghyuk figures that could be a plus. Hongbin can hate what he can’t see but if he doesn’t know what Taekwoon looks like or that Sanghyuk actually was scared for him then he can’t target Taekwoon. It’s better for both of them and Sanghyuk can definitely handle this better than Hongbin waking up and ripping his throat out for letting a vampire near them. 

“He will wake in the next few hours,” Taekwoon breathes, letting Sanghyuk go and stepping away; Sanghyuk misses his comfort already. It’s strange what they are, and how comfortable he feels with him. “I… I cannot stay. With the dawn coming and your brother-” 

“I get it,” Sanghyuk interrupts, managing a smile and Taekwoon softens a little. He nods to the door and Taekwoon hesitates for a moment, his eyes returning to brown before he looks at Sanghyuk a final time, his eyes flashing and he disappears into the night. 

Sanghyuk doesn’t know if he should be glad that he’s gone or feel sick that he strangely misses him. 

***

Taekwoon doesn’t go back to his own apartment. Wonshik and Jaehwan’s is quite close to Sanghyuk’s, in retrospect. 

He has an issue and he’d be lying if Wonshik isn’t basically his therapist at this point. Jaehwan is either home or at work but it doesn’t really matter. He can listen if he wants and maybe even help Taekwoon because he’s having a crisis and wherever Sanghyuk goes, Taekwoon is apparently bound to follow. He’s never felt this inclined to even _talk_ to someone, Wonshik included. Sanghyuk is a mystery that Taekwoon can’t figure out and it’s scaring him more than anything and Taekwoon has lived and fought through many wars. 

He barges in without knocking which in hindsight, he should have done but Jaehwan and Wonshik aren’t doing anything besides cuddling which he’s grateful for. Wonshik is on his feet in the split second it takes for Taekwoon to open the door, Jaehwan jumping over the back of the couch but it’s just Taekwoon and he’s _clearly_ just interrupted some much needed couple time. He’s not exactly apologetic for it though. 

“I need your help,” Taekwoon blurts, not caring that Jaehwan is on the floor, peeking over the couch while Wonshik has his claws out, about to start snapping. Jaehwan looks quite innocent and his hair is fluffy; Wonshik must have been petting it. 

“You _need_ help,” Wonshik spits but helps Jaehwan up, kissing him in apology. He turns to Taekwoon again with a scowl before raising his eyebrows in question, urging Taekwoon to speak. “Well?” he prompts and his jaw and set tight. 

“How did you know when you could trust Jaehwan?” 

Jaehwan opens his mouth in shock and he looks at Wonshik with wide eyes. Wonshik doesn’t look like he understands but Jaehwan certainly does and his shocked expression turns into a sly smirk, eyes twinkling. “Who’s the lucky boy?” he asks and Taekwoon hisses like a flustered newborn revealing their fangs for the first time. 

Wonshik has figured it out and he smiles too, matching his human counterpart. “Jaehwan was the only one who didn’t scream at me when he saw me change,” he says with clear amusement. “But you don’t mean that.” 

“This isn’t helping,” Taekwoon sighs, sitting on the single chair whilst the other two sit on the couch, looking like way too interested parents about to get their son’s report card. This wasn’t the smartest decision on his part because Jaehwan and Wonshik had already been dating when Wonshik turned in front of him. Not that Taekwoon and Sanghyuk are _dating_ but the familiarity between them is something that Taekwoon doesn’t know how to handle because he’s a vampire and Sanghyuk is a hunter. The only other thing he can compare those positions to is a purebred werewolf and a human so he has to take what he can get. It’s ridiculous because it’s unknown territory for him and yet Sanghyuk is a puzzle he wants to figure out. A riddle he wants to solve. 

He tells them both what occurred, even how he had been shot in the eye (Jaehwan shudders at that, especially when Taekwoon adds that he couldn’t see at all because his eye had been literally shot out of his skull). How Hongbin had screamed at him and how Sanghyuk had ran with him when he was injured, even after Taekwoon had fought alongside Hongbin. The two brothers are polar opposites and it strikes Taekwoon how much like Hongbin he was before he met Wonshik and Jaehwan. Cold blooded and ruthless, Taekwoon didn’t care for anything because he had nothing to care for, nothing to even really live for. His circumstances weren’t as bad as Hongbin’s and Hongbin isn’t a vampire but it makes sense to Taekwoon. He’s lonely, he thinks. Hongbin is empty. 

“So,” Jaehwan says lightly, lacing his fingers together over his knee. “A hunter, who’s twenty-two, keeps meeting you and you just saved his brother, and you now know where he lives and you touched his face.” 

“That is all correct, yes,” Taekwoon answers, skeptical. The touching of the face was out of concern because Sanghyuk looked like he wasn’t present in the moment and Taekwoon wanted to bring him back. He does it for Jaehwan and Wonshik so why should he not do it for Sanghyuk? 

Jaehwan’s face splits into a grin and he shrugs his shoulders, looking like the epitome of a smartass. “This is something. Hyung, I’m not saying you like him or anything but it sounds like you at least want to see him again.” 

Taekwoon would be lying if he said he didn’t want to and that in itself is very dangerous and not to mention _ridiculous._ Sanghyuk is interesting and Taekwoon wouldn’t mind seeing Hongbin, either. They’re both interesting in their own right but Taekwoon doesn’t think it’d be right to see Hongbin so soon. He can’t see Sanghyuk again for some time either… He caused a lot of damage and if he shows up near Sanghyuk, Hongbin might lose his head again. 

“He’s curious,” Taekwoon tries, leaning his head in his hands, utterly defeated. “And I am too. It is a strange feeling to know so little.” He’s over four hundred years old and yet Sanghyuk has stumped him, stopped him in his tracks and made him question a lot of things. He shouldn’t think about him but his mind is reeling and he _did_ get shot in the head. He feels like he has an excuse in that. His head actually really hurts. 

Jaehwan hums like he’s understanding everything Taekwoon is going through but he doesn’t say anything more. Wonshik hasn’t spoken but he’s staring at Taekwoon, his eyes unblinking. He turns to look at Jaehwan and Taekwoon doesn’t have the experience to decipher that look but Jaehwan looks back at him and smiles, which makes Wonshik visibly relax and quickly kiss his nose. 

“Hyung,” Wonshik says and Taekwoon looks up at him through his hair. “If you wanted some kind of life love lesson or whatever then you’re not going to get a good one out of us. I _did_ almost kill Jaehwan.” 

“You say that like it’s a big deal,” Jaehwan dismisses, waving his hand around. “And you didn’t, actually. I just locked myself in the bathroom and we were golden.” 

Wonshik looks very uncomfortable but Jaehwan just reaches up, guiding his face towards his and kissing him sweetly, a reassuring one and Taekwoon is confused how they just do that. Solve things just like that! Jaehwan and Wonshik haven’t had a fight that has last more than a day because they just solve things with no screaming or physical fighting. 

Taekwoon knew he wouldn’t get a life lesson from Wonshik, despite him being a philosophical wannabe. He shakes his head; just talking with them usually helps but Taekwoon is still lost, confused. The smartest thing he can do is leave Sanghyuk alone for the time being. Hongbin will gut him if he ever sees him again so Taekwoon’s just lucky that he won’t remember his face. 

“Go home, hyung,” Jaehwan says softly, not unkindly. Dawn will come soon and Taekwoon needs to sleep. Maybe that will clear his mind well enough. 

His head has started to throb but he leaves their apartment without another a word, reaching his own apartment in seconds. That just makes his headache worse and he slams himself into his bed without taking his shoes off. He smells like Hongbin and whatever shifter exploded on him plus some added gunpowder since he was literally shot in the head but he has to change his sheets soon anyways, as well as clean his entire apartment because that’s what he does when he’s stressed. 

He hopes Hongbin wakes soon and that Sanghyuk will be okay. He feels self-centred for wishing that he’ll see Sanghyuk soon so he can finally ask him why he’s so curious about monsters. Monsters kill and so does Sanghyuk so why did he even worry for him tonight when his own brother shot him to the ground? Wouldn’t he fear for Hongbin, rather than Taekwoon? 

Humans are confusing. But Taekwoon supposes he likes them that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE SUMMARY MAKES THIS SOUND SO BAD SKJDKDJS  
> i know this is like.. super unrealistic but lmfao i promise this is the last of the weird Taekwoon Sense Tingle i have going on and it will be explained later on bc there's actually a reason behind it lol  
> plus you get some luck even if its stupid and just taekwoon touching sanghyuks face lol


	4. chapter four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To Hongbin, there’s no such thing and there will never be such a thing because vampires are vampires. They don’t have any humanity and they never will because they’re monsters and always will be.

Life fucking sucks.

Sanghyuk never smokes and yet he’s the one sitting outside a convenience store with two boxes of cigarettes, chain smoking with shaking hands as people mill past him, his bag filled with coffee and energy drinks, his stomach empty.

Hongbin woke up. He’s thankful for it but Hongbin woke up swinging, screaming and crying. Sanghyuk has no idea what Taekwoon made him see or what he remembers but Hongbin remembers the shifters and setting Sanghyuk’s leg. He doesn’t remember Taekwoon fighting with him or shooting Taekwoon but Hongbin had just been so confused as to why he couldn’t remember much. Sanghyuk told him that a shifter had almost bit him but Sanghyuk had distracted it, Hongbin being thrown to against the fence and knocked out cold. He was shaking the whole time, a cold sweat all over him but Sanghyuk was calm, lying through his teeth. Hongbin doesn’t need to know and Sanghyuk is selfish. He wants what is best for his brother, but that means he has to lie to him so Hongbin won’t figure out his secrets. 

But Hongbin has his own secrets. It’s about time Sanghyuk had his too.

Hongbin doesn’t remember. Sanghyuk is glad for it, he truly is; he can’t imagine what Hongbin would have done if he had woken up and remembered Taekwoon and what he had done, even if Sanghyuk doesn’t think it was a bad thing. He’s grateful to Taekwoon for even staying to help his brother when he never asked. Taekwoon had done it for a reason he doesn’t know but Sanghyuk is still pleased. He probably would have had this breakdown a lot earlier if Taekwoon hadn’t helped him.

He’s on his third cigarette (doesn’t that mean he’s a smoker now?) and he stops, ashing on the side of the road. He looks too much like a youth aesthetic that it makes him laugh. Through a cloud of smoke, he leans his head forward and he could fall asleep here but he’s more or less in public and he’d rather not have Hongbin coming in the dead of night to find him passed out in the gutter.

 _Where did I go wrong?_ he asks himself numbly. His fascination led to Hongbin suffering and now he is too. He doesn’t regret it -- he _can’t_ regret it. One vampire who’s different to the rest has Sanghyuk turned on his head, eager to learn like he always has been but it’s worse this time. What would his mother say? What will _Hongbin_ say when he finds out? It’s not an if at this point; Hongbin is scarily clever and even if he doesn’t remember completely, he’ll figure it out eventually. He was almost turned when they were kids and he and Sanghyuk both haven’t forgotten that night. They never will and here Sanghyuk is messing around with a vampire whose God knows how old. He knows nothing about Taekwoon aside from his name and the fact that he’s a vampire and Sanghyuk is on his fourth cigarette, itching to know more.

He laughs at himself because while the information that vampires can apparently not only say the Lord’s name but also wear and own crucifixes is very useful, he can’t exactly write it down into his journal. Hongbin will question him and Sanghyuk can’t lie through that. He can’t just spit out that he knows the information because of an encounter when he already avoided the truth and told Hongbin that nothing came of his hunt with the two vampires he killed aside from him being thrown around.

Sanghyuk stands because his legs have fallen asleep and it’s starting to rain. He should get home but he’ll have to face Hongbin and the night air is oddly comforting. The walk home isn’t long and after smoking for so long, he welcomes the crispness of the air into his lungs but he knows it won’t clear out the smoke. He doesn’t know if he wants it to.

When he gets to the hallway, he hears laughter coming from the apartment and recognises Chansik’s voice, alongside Jinyoung’s and Sandeul’s. Hongbin must have invited them over and if Sanghyuk can’t stand to look at his own brother right now, he really can’t stand to look at other hunters, ones that he and Hongbin both call family. He’s not as strong as he thought and he leaves again, looking up his bank account details and deciding to get some ramen and see what time he can return home when he knows Hongbin will be asleep and Chansik’s group will be long gone.

His runes are quiet for once and he grasps his necklace, taking it off and studying it when he’s sitting down in the restaurant. It’s pure silver and he wonders if a vampire could even stand to hold it; the silver will hurt them but he now doubts that the fact that it’s a crucifix will do anything. He’s wearing a long sleeve t-shirt and when he pushes up his sleeves, the ink that litters his skin almost gleams in the harsh lighting of the ramen place. His necklace lies forgotten on the table as he stares at his forearms.

He remembers every tattoo he’s ever gotten and the ones of his arms are mostly just personal taste. His chest is all his runes and sigils and every tattoo on his body is monochrome. He doesn’t like colour in tattoos but there’s some red in the flowers on his forearms which he likes. Sometimes, he confuses it for blood when he’s too tired to comprehend but other than that, they don’t bother him in the slightest. They’re mostly white roses but there are some spider lilies, regular lilies and thorns mixed in, etched into his skin in beautiful harmony.

His food arrives and the broth steams his face as he just stares into the bowl. He’s hungry but so horribly exhausted too and the effort it takes to even lift his chopsticks makes his wrist ache. 

He’s about to dig in when he looks up, finding gleaming yellow eyes. He curses when the hot broth splashes onto his hand and Taekwoon is next to him in an instance, inside the restaurant but keeping his hands to himself as Sanghyuk hisses, cleaning up his hand. He tugs his sleeves down to cover his tattoos, Taekwoon’s keen eyes scanning them before they’re out of sight. More secrets.

“Jesus,” Sanghyuk mutters, shaking off his hand. Taekwoon just sits there, his eyes normal again and he tilts his head in confusion like he didn’t just scare the shit out of Sanghyuk. “Are you following me? You always show up wherever I am.” He doesn’t mean it to come across as rude but he’s annoyed, tired and now his heart is beating way too fast. 

“Hardly,” Taekwoon replies easily, crossing his legs in a rather elegant movement, his hands laced together on the table top. “You just happen to be nearby during the night. Do you not sleep?”

“I sleep,” Sanghyuk defends but it’s futile. It’s almost midnight and he’s alone in a ramen joint with a bag of cigarettes, coffee and energy drinks at his feet and now Taekwoon has seen him, acting like old friends when they’re closer to being enemies just because of their species. 

Taekwoon leans his chin on one of his hands, watching Sanghyuk as he blows on his noodles again. He doesn’t speak until Sanghyuk has swallowed. “Why are you out here, Sanghyuk?” he asks softly and Sanghyuk really can’t answer that but the way Taekwoon says his name makes his head clear and fuzzy at the same time. “Is Hongbin okay?”

Taekwoon must be worried, he realises. He doesn’t know how often Taekwoon has wiped someone’s memory or at least made them see an illusion based dream of their experiences but he doesn’t really have the grounds to ask. “Hyung’s not… He’s not _not_ okay,” he answers, useless. Hongbin could be pretending and everything is a lot more messy than what it was before because now Hongbin is involved in his shit. It’s not that big of a deal, honestly; hunters trusting monsters isn’t news but Hongbin and a vampire… It’s recipe for disaster and it’s Sanghyuk’s fault. He likes to think he’s grown up but he’s still the same young kid with too much attitude and curiosity to be kept behind a closed door.

Taekwoon shifts uncomfortably and he takes a breath slowly, his wide shoulders hunching slightly. “If… If I hurt him, I am sorry,” he says quietly. “Is your knee okay? It was dislocated.”

Sanghyuk stretches out his leg. He’s dealt with dislocated bones before and it’s been two weeks since then so whatever pain was bothering him from that night is gone now. Taekwoon looks too and he doesn’t have to answer because Taekwoon smiles and Sanghyuk feels a little calmer at that. His smile makes his eyes scrunch up and he looks human if you ignore how awfully pale he is but even then, he has colour in his cheeks. He’s not a thing to be feared.

“Why are you here?” Sanghyuk asks as he fiddles with the seaweed in his bowl. Taekwoon seems to pop up wherever he goes and it’s strange but the runes on his chest aren’t screaming and burning him for once which is bizarre. He doesn’t know if it’s because they’re used to Taekwoon or just because they’ve decided to shut up for once but it’s better than his chest burning him from the inside. He can shut them off if he wants to but he’s never done that in his life before. Maybe they just like Taekwoon?

Taekwoon hums, lacing his fingers together again and sighing. “I… It’s difficult to explain. I believe I sensed you, but I wanted to know if Hongbin was okay. It… Uh.” He shakes his head, flushing slightly. He looks terribly boyish like that, cute and flustered. “I know what you smell like.” He meets Sanghyuk’s eyes and both of them are sporting wide eyes, a mirror of clear confusion and awkwardness. “It’s not your blood. It’s… Every human has a different scent. And, uh, different blood. But it’s not that.”

“I think I get it,” Sanghyuk snorts, finding himself smiling. Taekwoon is red in the face and looks away while Sanghyuk laughs at him. He’s easily embarrassed and looks quite pretty, sweet almost. “It’s like how people have perfumes and it just smells like them because they wear it so much?”

“In a way,” Taekwoon agrees, frowning slightly. He looks like a kitten with his sharp eyes and big cheeks tinted pink. “But I can smell perfumes too. Vampires have a very strong sense of smell.”

Sanghyuk knows that. Vampires are like bomb sniffing dogs basically which is a weird comparison but whatever. “And you wear your necklace,” he adds, pointing at Taekwoon’s rosary chain.

Taekwoon looks down and smiles, taking his necklace in his hand. “My mother had a similar one. I had one originally but…” He swallows, glancing up at Sanghyuk. “The original one did not make it to this era. And it’s white gold, not silver.”

Sanghyuk feels like asking his age would be rude so he doesn’t, instead just looking at Taekwoon in awe. This… _man_ is older than anything Sanghyuk knows and it’s just peculiar to even be sitting next to him and talking normally. Taekwoon is a character in his own unique way and Sanghyuk has never been incredible at school but Taekwoon makes him want to learn and study him just for his own fascination.

They talk for a little longer before they more or less get asked to leave because Sanghyuk has started laughing and Taekwoon has fallen off his chair three times now. They stumble outside even though they’re not drunk, Sanghyuk’s cigarette bag swinging around between them. He had offered Taekwoon a cigarette but he shook his head, claiming he didn’t want to be like _Wonshik._

“Wonshik?” Sanghyuk echoes and checks his phone, the two of them wandering around at two in the morning now. It should be awkward and foreign and uncomfortable but Sanghyuk feels like he’s known Taekwoon for a long time, the two of them able to talk about anything despite only meeting two months ago. Taekwoon doesn’t feel like a stranger and he sure as hell doesn’t feel like a monster. The danger that should be present just isn’t; not even Sanghyuk’s runes and necklace are warning him against Taekwoon. It’s natural, almost.

“Kim Wonshik,” Taekwoon smiles, kicking a stone on the footpath. He’s calm and it’s relaxing Sanghyuk too. “He is my best friend. I have known him for four years now.”

Sanghyuk nods, the two of them looking at each other with warmth. Taekwoon doesn’t say anything more and Sanghyuk doesn’t push it. They’re comfortable. It’s easy. They don’t need to overthink.

Taekwoon takes the bag of cigarettes from him and peers inside, holding the bag as he shoves his hands back into his pockets. “Do you smoke often?” he asks as they line up their steps, the streets clear ahead of them just like the night sky above. The rain from before hasn’t come back.

Sanghyuk shakes his head, a little embarrassed. He doesn’t smoke often and tries not to when he’s stressed but he cracked this time. He’s not ashamed really but he does have three boxes that he doubts he’ll get through. “Have you smoked before?” he asks, mainly because he can dodge any further explanation that way.

“Wonshik does,” Taekwoon answers, giving the bag back to him. “I’ve gotten used to the smell.” He stops suddenly, realising where they are. He fishes a damn pocket watch out of his coat and Sanghyuk tries his best not to laugh but Taekwoon glares at him. He snaps it shut, holding it up so Sanghyuk can look at the old gold of it. “It’s almost three in the morning.”

Sanghyuk takes the pocket watch, the initials _JTW_ engraved into it, along with other scratches. The metal is gold and Sanghyuk’s not expert but he thinks it actually might be real. He opens it and the clock face is in surprisingly good condition, barely scratched unlike its exterior. “Should we go home?” he asks, looking up at Taekwoon.

Taekwoon hums, taking back his pocket watch. His touch is soft against Sanghyuk’s fingers and he shivers. “Do you want to go home?” he responds and Sanghyuk isn’t sure. He needs to go home eventually and the longer he stays out, the more he has to explain to Hongbin why he’s been gone so long.

They make it to Sanghyuk’s apartment and he pauses before heading into the lobby. If Taekwoon goes any higher, Hongbin will sense him as well as Chansik, Jinyoung and Sandeul if they’re still upstairs. Taekwoon seems to understand his hesitation and steps back, staring openly at Sanghyuk. 

Taekwoon, ever since Sanghyuk first saw him, has been beautiful. His eyes are bright and even when they’re yellow, Sanghyuk thinks of them as pretty. They had scared him earlier tonight but the way they flash and catch the light makes them magical in a way and Sanghyuk is fascinated by them. Even normally, Taekwoon’s eyes are so dark that they’re almost black and still, they’re mysterious and intriguing, just like Taekwoon as a whole. Everything about him is dark, from his eyes to his hair to his clothes but he’s sweet and calming, comforting to Sanghyuk.

“Go,” Taekwoon says, nodding his head to the apartment building with a small smile. “Your brother will worry.”

Sanghyuk doesn’t want to leave. Taekwoon makes him feel safe and right now, he needs it. He feels guilty that he’s hanging onto Taekwoon like this but Hongbin isn’t the same right now and this reality will all come crashing down once Taekwoon leaves. He made Sanghyuk forget for a while and Sanghyuk needs it. He’s selfish, he knows but because he’s selfish, he wants to keep Taekwoon right where he is.

Taekwoon senses something in him and steps forward again, handing Sanghyuk his phone. Sanghyuk puts in his phone number numbly and Taekwoon texts him immediately so Sanghyuk can save his number too. “Message me if you need to,” he says and he cups Sanghyuk’s cheek again like he did two weeks ago, gentle. “Or call. I will most likely answer if you call.”

Sanghyuk nods and touches Taekwoon’s hand on his cheek, leaning into it. Taekwoon’s hand heats up which he didn’t even know vampires could do and he laughs, closing his eyes. “Did you raise your temperature just now?”

Taekwoon nods, coming closer and Sanghyuk’s heart speeds up even though his chest is relaxing just from Taekwoon’s presence. “Get some rest.” He pauses before smiling softly, “You smell like smoke.”

Sanghyuk snorts, ducking his head and that makes their foreheads touch, making Taekwoon flush and Sanghyuk’s ears are way too hot. They don’t pull away even after that and Sanghyuk is grateful for the comfort that comes in Taekwoon’s simple touch. 

They pull away and Taekwoon takes his hand, squeezing it. It feels and probably looks too much like star-crossed lovers parting after so long and Sanghyuk isn’t a poet but he sure feels like a romantic right now, writing an impossible story that’s actually his reality. 

“Get some rest,” Taekwoon repeats, stepping away and the touch from him is like coming home, even if he’s pulling away right now. They let go and Taekwoon steps away, his heeled shoes clicking on the tiles of the courtyard outside Sanghyuk’s apartment building. “Take care of yourself, Sanghyuk.”

Sanghyuk nods, smiling as Taekwoon does. He pulls out his phone just to check the text from Taekwoon and even when he’s not with him, Sanghyuk finds solace in his written words of _Hello, it’s Jung Taekwoon._ It sounds like he’s just received an email from a teacher telling him he failed his assignment but Sanghyuk knows him enough to tell that this is just how Taekwoon talks because bottom line, he’s old as fuck.

When Sanghyuk gets upstairs, Hongbin is asleep on the couch and Chansik’s team is gone. There’s some bottles lying around and Sanghyuk picks them up, quietly putting them in the trash so that he doesn’t disturb Hongbin. 

Hongbin looks peaceful when Sanghyuk looks at him, sitting on the other couch. His eyes are closed and he’s dead asleep, most likely drunk but his hair is soft and slightly tousled and he looks young again. Hongbin is only twenty-three, about to be twenty-four and yet he’s been an adult since his mother died, taking care of Sanghyuk and their father since he was young. 

Sanghyuk thinks about texting Taekwoon but doesn’t because it’s nearing four in the morning and he really needs to go to sleep. He doesn’t know when Hongbin went to sleep so Sanghyuk is lucky for that. Hongbin will ask him when he got home but it’s been rocky between them anyways. Once he sees the cigarettes, Sanghyuk doubts Hongbin will pry much. He knows about Sanghyuk’s stress habits and they both don’t push each other, which they’re both somewhat grateful for. 

Taekwoon doesn’t text anymore and Sanghyuk switches off his phone, stripping down to his boxers and lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. He doesn’t feel quite as empty even though he ate four hours ago and after being with Taekwoon, his mind is eased. He’s dreading the coming morning but Taekwoon distracted him for the night, making him think other things. If Taekwoon exists, there’s got to be other vampires like him out there, right? He’s unique in his own way and Sanghyuk- well, it’s no mystery that he thinks he’s pretty, too. 

He closes his eyes and relaxes, hoping sleep will catch him soon.

 

 

***

 

 

Hunting stops, at least for a while.

Sanghyuk and Hongbin don’t want to go out and Chansik has made it his mission to take on whatever cases Hongbin would usually pick up. They don’t have a lot of work and Sanghyuk hasn’t left the apartment in days. Hongbin has been out with Chansik and when he’s home, they mostly avoid each other.

Hongbin did ask when he got home after he had been with Taekwoon. He could probably tell Sanghyuk was lying but he didn’t ask again; on one hand, Sanghyuk doesn’t have to deal with Hongbin’s questions but they’re drifting more and more apart because Hongbin just can’t quite remember what Sanghyuk already knows. He’s responsible for his own brother’s suffering and yet if he tells him, Sanghyuk doesn’t even know what he’ll do. The worst part about this is that the best case scenario is Hongbin screaming at him and probably kicking him out and the worse case scenario is Hongbin hunting Taekwoon and that’s what is eating Sanghyuk. He cares more about Taekwoon than himself because he knows Hongbin won’t hurt _him_ but he _will_ hurt Taekwoon.

Sanghyuk and Taekwoon have met up a few times since the last time, during the night. It’s been nothing but walking and talking, Sanghyuk learning of Taekwoon’s love of coffee and whatever the two of them choose to share. He’s able to stomach liquids mostly, he told Sanghyuk, but he’s only had blood, coffee and liquor. He doubts he could eat yoghurt or something like that because he only just got over the smell of food making him sick a few years ago. Sanghyuk had learned that Taekwoon is actually a good cook according to some of his friends but he had yet to be the judge of that.

He doesn’t know when he started thinking of the future with Taekwoon in it. They’re not together and only just became friends after almost three months and Taekwoon could still very much kill him but Sanghyuk thinks that if he wanted to, he would have done it already. He’s not afraid of Taekwoon and really never has been, even when he had ripped out the throat of that other vampire the first time they met and the shifter he had severed in half that almost killed Sanghyuk. 

_Will I ever tell him?_ Sanghyuk wonders as Hongbin leans back in his chair, cracking his neck loudly. Reflecting back on that night makes him woozy and thinking of Taekwoon makes him feel guilty because he has good memories with him. _Will he find out by himself or will I tell him?_

Taekwoon had said that Hongbin may remember certain things after sometime. It’s been almost four weeks since the attack and Hongbin has only mentioned seeing a fuzzy figure before he passed out. Sanghyuk tried to tell him it was him because he and Taekwoon both have black hair but Hongbin had shaken his head, saying the figure to him being thinner than Sanghyuk. Hongbin had passed it off as his mind playing tricks on him and him drinking with Chansik certainly didn’t help his memory. 

“Do you want food?” Hongbin asks him suddenly, ripping Sanghyuk from his thoughts. “There’s microwave buttered chicken in the fridge.”

He’s looking at Sanghyuk with a small smile and Sanghyuk’s stomach churns while his chest tightens. He nods because he can’t answer him verbally, his mind elsewhere. Hongbin ruffles his hair as he walks past and Sanghyuk flinches as he walks past. He doesn’t deserve the affection but he’s greedy and takes it despite his guilt.

If he were to ask Hongbin hypothetically about a vampire with a conscious, how would he even respond? Sanghyuk thinks that Hongbin would call him an idiot and shake his head like it’s the dumbest question Sanghyuk has ever asked. To Hongbin, there’s no such thing and there will never be such a thing because _vampires are vampires._ They don’t have any humanity and they never will because they’re monsters and always will be. There’s no changing his mind because Hongbin is right and their journal proves it but Sanghyuk doesn’t believe him- _can’t_ believe him because Taekwoon is real and Sanghyuk has shared so much with him and learnt so much about him in these past three months. Vampires aren’t as black and white as Hongbin thinks and Sanghyuk’s entire perspective on them is gone. He can’t even look at their journal because it’s all wrong. Nothing they thought they knew is right and Sanghyuk can’t even look at the pages without feeling like a fool because Taekwoon is literal living proof that the myths about vampires that hunters grow up on don’t exist.

When the food is served, they eat in silence. Sanghyuk doesn’t taste his food at all and Hongbin seems content to eat while staring at his computer. Sanghyuk can’t take it. His food barely makes it down his throat.

He says he’ll be back, his food half finished on the coffee table and he grabs his box of cigarettes, getting out of the apartment before he either chokes or throws up. Hongbin doesn’t call him back or follow him and Sanghyuk isn’t sure of anything anymore. He doesn’t want Hongbin to worry but he wants him to ask what’s wrong so Sanghyuk can finally let it all out. He can’t though, because it will hurt Hongbin more than it will soothe his innocence and he won’t make Hongbin suffer more than he has to. Taekwoon has to and will remain his secret because he is Sanghyuk’s _only._ He doesn’t even blame Taekwoon for stepping into his life which is the most ironic part of all of this; he’s the one to blame because he couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut. 

Sanghyuk burns through the first two cigarettes blindly, his hands shaking like crazy. If he had a bottle of Jack Daniels, God, he’d be a sight. He doesn’t know what will numb him more; the cigarettes or the alcohol and now he’s regretting coming down him with just his phone and his cigarettes. Drinking makes you forget, doesn’t it? It’s a drug so why does Taekwoon make him forget too? Why is he so selfishly addicted to him? And why doesn’t he blame him for anything? 

He though once upon a time that if he had never been born, there would no monsters to hit his parents’ car. There would be no vampire to kill Hongbin’s mother, no fears to taunt Hongbin for the rest of his life. Logically, he knows he’s not the cause of that all but what if he could fix it just like that? Hongbin could have gone to college like a normal high school graduate if he hadn’t been pushed into killing because he lost the only woman to love him unconditionally. Hongbin’s parents were his rock and they raised Sanghyuk as best as they could, even when Hongbin had to take over because their father was out of the picture.

His mind is reeling too much and the cigarettes aren’t doing shit. He has to tell Hongbin. He’s going to tell Hongbin or he’ll rip his hair out and run away from his problems instead of solving them, even if it breaks him in the process. It’s going to break both of them but Sanghyuk can’t live a lie and Hongbin can’t live in the dark forever. He needs to remember and Sanghyuk has to be the one to tell him.

When he gets back to the apartment, he charges in without taking off his shoes and Hongbin is in the bedroom now, his laptop bright and untouched on the table. His notes are scribbled out next to the laptop, pages ripped and screwed up in balls. When Sanghyuk sees him on the bed, his legs are crossed and his back is horribly straight. 

To anyone else, this would seem weird but Sanghyuk doesn’t disturb him because Hongbin will get into moods sometimes where not even Sanghyuk can bring him back to the waking world. It’s a form of meditation, in a way, but Hongbin would always come back blank faced and strange rather than relaxed.

Taekwoon had done a good thing for both of them and he’s sure of it. He sounds like a broken record of empty promises but Taekwoon _did a good thing._ There was no possible way that Hongbin would have accepted Taekwoon’s help but without him, Hongbin would have died in that swarm of shapeshifters and Sanghyuk probably would have had to stumble home with a dislocated knee and the body of his brother on his back. It wasn’t the best chain of events but it was better than Hongbin dying that night and if he had to do it again, Sanghyuk would. 

Sanghyuk loves Hongbin. No matter what happens between them, no matter how many petty fights and spats, Sanghyuk will always love Hongbin. Hongbin loves him too, he knows. He’s seen it in the way Hongbin will at least try to cook him food, or worry over him when he comes back from a solo hunt. Hongbin’s love is shown in the stitches he gives Sanghyuk, the knives he cleans for him, the whispers he breathes when it’s way too late in the night for both of them and they’ve both been crying over things that don’t matter anymore.

Sanghyuk doesn’t know the outcome of this situation. Hongbin will not take to Taekwoon well which he expected but they don’t know each other. He doubts Taekwoon will be particularly offended by a hunter that hates vampires hating him but it’s himself Sanghyuk’s worried about because he’s only ever been worried about himself in this situation. What will Hongbin do when he remembers? Will he throw Sanghyuk out? Scream at him to never step foot near him again? Will he cry and beg Sanghyuk to never trust Taekwoon? 

It’s a little too late for that.

Taekwoon has done nothing wrong. It’s strange how easily Sanghyuk adjusted to him, how he’s still defending him in his head. Taekwoon could have threatened him, warned him away or even bitten him but he didn’t. He saved Sanghyuk when Hongbin was too far behind just because he felt like Sanghyuk needed it. There was nothing between them besides Taekwoon and Sanghyuk. No hunting, no killing for food. He keeps thinking that if Taekwoon had wanted to kill him, he would have done it already. Hell, he could have killed Hongbin after he shot him in the face and yet all Taekwoon did was bring him home and wish for both Sanghyuk and Hongbin to be safe and well.

He looks up when the bedroom door creaks, meeting Hongbin’s eyes and his brother isn’t the same. He doesn’t look angry either, just… hurt. His eyes are rimmed red and he looks like he’s aged five years. Sanghyuk’s guilt is a bottomless hole, his insides a rollercoaster.

“It was a vampire,” Hongbin whispers and that breaks something in Sanghyuk because he bursts into tears while Hongbin cries too but they’re crying for each other, in a way. Sanghyuk wishes Hongbin never had to experience this, that he never found out and Hongbin is probably wishing Sanghyuk had never become a hunter or gotten them both into this mess.

“You let a _vampire_ … help us,” Hongbin spits and the fact that he’s still saying us makes Sanghyuk’s chest close up. Hongbin still trusts him, he still wants a plausible answer that’s not Sanghyuk knows Taekwoon and trusts him but Sanghyuk can’t give him that because the truth hurts and it’s Sanghyuk’s cross to bear.

“You would have died,” Sanghyuk whispers and Hongbin is on top of him in a flash, his fists in his shirt and Sanghyuk can’t do anything besides let Hongbin grasp his shirt and pull him from the floor, his brother’s tears dripping onto his face. His back hits the floor too hard but he deserves it. He deserves every insult, punch and kick from Hongbin. “I couldn’t l-let you die, hyung. I _wouldn’t_ let you die.”

“So you- you let a vampire touch me? Heal me? I shot him!” Hongbin screams, his beautiful face screwed up in agony. Sanghyuk can barely see through his own tears but Hongbin’s heart is on his sleeve, every shred of hurt present in his eyes. Sanghyuk betrayed him. “You s-should have let him fucking die! _Why couldn’t you have let him fucking die?!_ How could you do this to me? To us!”

“He saved me before!” Sanghyuk tries but Hongbin shakes his head, unable to listen to him. Hongbin won’t see past his prejudice and Sanghyuk can’t make him. It’s futile for both of them because they’re too caught up in their own emotions to see any reason from the other. “He saved you. I never asked and he did! He came to help us that night.”

“You should have killed him,” Hongbin snarls and he’s stopped crying, a stranger shielding him now. “You should have shot him after I did.” He does slap Sanghyuk but the pain is numb to him and probably numb to Hongbin too. His eyes are dead and his coldness is something Sanghyuk doesn’t recognise, has no familiarity with. Hongbin falls down next to him, boneless and emotionless. The coffee table rattles from where Hongbin has hit it with his arm. “Get away from me.”

Sanghyuk expected that but he’s in denial. He loves Hongbin but the coldness is his voice is something he doesn’t recognise. It’s never been directed at him. “Hyung, I-”

 _“Get away from me!_ I never want to see you again!” Hongbin screams and rolls away, grabbing the closest thing he can find while Sanghyuk gets up, which happens to be a bowl and throwing it at Sanghyuk. It hits the wall, shatters and Sanghyuk tries to plead but Hongbin keeps throwing things at him, crying again until he’s too weak to even protest against Sanghyuk leaving, his sobs loud enough to be heard in the hallway that Sanghyuk is running down. He’s lucky he didn’t take his shoes off. 

He’d be lucky to forget the pain of losing a brother.

Chansik won’t take him in when he finds out what he’s done and if he does take him in, he’ll tell Hongbin exactly where he is. He can’t go running back to a brother who doesn’t trust him anymore because Sanghyuk threw that trust away the moment he spoke to Taekwoon in that alleyway and now he’s running to the same vampire who he can’t even blame because this is Sanghyuk’s fault.

It’s his fault.

He doesn’t know where he’ll go but he has his phone and a pack of cigarettes and he needs a drink even if he’s crying his eyes out as he walks down the street, people staring at him in shock. He can barely fumble out a text to Taekwoon that’s mostly keysmash and a beg of _please_ before he trips up the gutter as he crosses the road, falling and deciding that the ground is where he belongs. His cheek has started to sting and he wishes that Hongbin had have just beaten him. He deserves it but Hongbin would never do that, even if Sanghyuk just brought his number one nightmare into reality in the form of Taekwoon’s kindness.

His phone is ringing but he can’t answer it. It’s either Hongbin, Chansik or Taekwoon and he doesn’t have the guts or energy to speak to any of them, even if he just texted Taekwoon. He’s shaking and crying, wailing in the street because he’s scared, hopeless. He just threw away the only thing he can call family because he made a mistake and he wasn’t strong enough that night. He still doesn’t blame Taekwoon because it’s not his fault and without him, Sanghyuk would have died as well as Hongbin that night. Sanghyuk made these decisions and he’s old enough to know better but he opened a door in his life that he’s not ready to close yet and that’s what’s killing him.

He eventually answers his phone when it rings for the sixth time, the vibrations numbing his hand and it’s Taekwoon, his featherlight voice easing him immediately like a lullaby. Sanghyuk is still crying but he’s not sobbing anymore and all Taekwoon does is ask, “Why are you crying?” and he says with so much concern that it almost makes Sanghyuk sick.

All Sanghyuk can do is cry harder, the sobs returning. He tells Taekwoon that he’s near _some fucking store_ near his apartment and Taekwoon comes to get him like the good man he is. His life feels like a poorly planned sitcom and he guesses that it is in a way because when Taekwoon’s face appears above him and he helps him sit up, Sanghyuk just slumps his shoulders and cries silently, Taekwoon’s fingers in his hair to ground him. Rain starts to fall like it’s been waiting for Sanghyuk’s breakdown. What’s worse is that he feels like Taekwoon will understand him better than anyone and he needs someone to understand him right now, especially when he doesn’t understand himself.

“Sanghyuk,” Taekwoon breathes in his ear before pulling away, the hand that’s in his hair sliding down to his shoulder while the other is on his cheek, the same hand that has held his face twice before and brought him immense comfort. It’s so tender and caring that Sanghyuk feels his chest loosen and he feels guilty at that. He doesn’t deserve it but humans are greedy creatures and Sanghyuk will take it like he’s never felt it before.

“Hongbin found out,” Sanghyuk whispers finally and Taekwoon’s eyes widen. He shouldn’t have to be kept a secret but he is. Taekwoon is Sanghyuk’s secret and it pains him to keep him that way. Taekwoon changed Sanghyuk’s perspective on monsters, a perspective that was already shaky and he’s different to anything Sanghyuk’s ever known. He wants to know everything because he’s never met anyone quite like him before and he’s always been curious. Taekwoon is something he wants to uncover and know, like an old book. He wants to know everything, to have him tell him his secrets because Sanghyuk only ever known monsters to kill but Taekwoon isn’t like that at all. 

He's crying again. He knows he is but he can't feel it. There's no tightness in his chest and his heart hasn't sped up dramatically. He's empty; completely empty but he doesn't feel guilty. He does, but not as much as he should. He won't go running back to Hongbin because that's all he's ever done in his life and he is the one who wanted to grow up, who was forced to grow up when he was just six years old. 

Sanghyuk looks at Taekwoon and something breaks between them. Taekwoon takes his face in his hands and Sanghyuk is crying silently into Taekwoon’s neck, tucked in like a vampire about to bite. How many times has Taekwoon been in this position behind a club with someone who won't remember him? 

“Hongbin didn't take it well,” he manages this time and hears Taekwoon’s slow inhale, angry but not surprised. His hand is in Sanghyuk’s hair, carding through the strands and Sanghyuk could fall asleep like this despite the situation.

“What did he say?” Taekwoon whispers and it’s hurts to remember even though it just happened but he must because this involves Taekwoon too and he deserves to know. But he can barely form words right now and Taekwoon doesn’t push him, his hand in his hair comfortable and loving. He’ll tell him when he’s not choking on his spit and tears.

“Did he… Did you have to leave him?” Taekwoon tries and Sanghyuk just nods before the vampire helps him to his feet slowly. Sanghyuk is unsteady and he can barely see through his tears but they walk together, into a direction that Sanghyuk doesn’t know and for a second. He can’t think straight for a minute. He’s vulnerable and has been for days.

But he trusts Taekwoon. He trusts him a lot more than he initially thought.

Taekwoon has just raised his body temperature to be warmer which still confuses him; Sanghyuk doesn’t know how he can just do _that._ Sanghyuk doesn’t know anything. 

“You are welcome to stay with me,” he says and Sanghyuk, with whatever energy he has left, pushes him away and stares at him. Taekwoon’s eyes are yellow, warm somehow and he’s staring at him innocently so Sanghyuk shakes his head, unable to comprehend the offer. 

“I can’t- I wouldn’t make you do that,” Sanghyuk says, scowling. He doesn’t need pity even if he looks like the slightest shred of sympathy will do him good and he won’t take advantage of Taekwoon for a _mistake_ he made. “You… It’s your place and you don’t know me well or… It’s only been a few months. I can’t do that to you.” He sniffs, hastily wiping his face but it’s a little too late for him to be embarrassed right now. “I… I have an apartment. We use it as- as a safe house, so no one is there.”

Taekwoon hums, stepping back towards Sanghyuk. They’re close, but not touching. “Then we will go there. I will come with you.” He cups Sanghyuk’s face again and that’s all it takes for him to melt into his grasp again, feeling protected. “I know you enough already, anyways. And you are in pain. You need someone.”

It’s not a glamour because Taekwoon physically can’t do that to Sanghyuk so it’s his own personal feelings that are making his stomach flutter. Taekwoon smiles at him and it’s a sweet thing, if not a little embarrassed. Sanghyuk did speak first all those months ago but it was Taekwoon who replied, Taekwoon who stayed and helped him more than once, Taekwoon who made him feel protected even when he was lying on the road in pain, watching his brother fight shifters that would have killed him if Taekwoon hadn’t shown up. 

“We haven’t been doing normal things, right?” Sanghyuk sighs and Taekwoon shakes his head, still smiling softly.

“Trust in me,” Taekwoon says and Sanghyuk lets himself be pulled into Taekwoon’s grasp, warm and inviting. Sanghyuk doesn’t answer him verbally, but Taekwoon knows his answer in the way he holds on tighter to him, just needing someone to comfort him for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hongbin will be back i promise


	5. chapter five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His eyes shoot open. Sanghyuk left his journal here and Hongbin’s never moved so quickly in his life. He slips into the bedroom, on the ground and snatches through the pages, some of them stuck together from the correction fluid slathered over Hongbin’s shitty handwriting and it’s like the stars know what he's doing because when he opens to the demon pages, his tattoos begin to burn, like they’re begging for his attention.

_Should I be angry?_

_Yes._

_I have every right to be._

Hongbin loves Sanghyuk. Ever since he had first met him and welcomed him into the Lee family, he loved Sanghyuk. Before Hongbin, his mother had miscarried and his parents had always dreamed of having two children. Hongbin was their first and their only until he was six. And then Sanghyuk had come into his life.

He was horribly small, always had been until he reached his twenties. Sanghyuk, with his twinkling eyes and teeth that were too big for his mouth, brought colour into Hongbin’s life. He truly was the little brother he never had. Hongbin just had to wait a little longer for his younger sibling. He had always been Hongbin’s treasure and people always said that it was strange how close they were, even when growing up. Siblings are supposed to drift apart apparently but Hongbin refused.

Sanghyuk was his baby brother; he never stopped being his baby brother. Sanghyuk and Hongbin learnt how to ride bikes together, Sanghyuk being nine at the time while Hongbin was freshly eleven and had just face planted off his own bike. He had whined and complained, cried and sobbed until Sanghyuk got onto his bike and started riding it like he had always known how and that gave Hongbin enough motivation to try again. If Sanghyuk could do it, then Hongbin could too.

They never went to any school dances or excursions. No friends in high school contacted them and no one from Hongbin’s college really gave him a chance. Not to mention, he’s not the most sociable in general. Hongbin grew up with his family and his family only, Sanghyuk much the same. Chansik was the one he called his best friend because in his life, it was hunters who had your back. It’s them who you call family because they know the hardship, the sweat, blood and grime of a kill, the thrill of saving someone and the dread of losing someone you love. Hongbin lost his mother when he was eight years old and he never stopped grieving. A vampire took her from him, stripped her heart from her chest and it almost took Hongbin’s humanity that night.

Hongbin really wonders what he would have done if he had been turned that night. Would he have killed himself with whatever mind he had left that wasn’t eaten by the bloodlust? Or would his father have killed him, just so that he couldn’t hurt Sanghyuk? Being turned into a vampire is a painful, _horrific_ process if done incorrectly and Hongbin could have experienced it. If he had have been turned, would he still be alive right now?

He thinks he would have killed himself or at least had someone kill him. Hongbin is human and he would have wanted to remain human, lest he become the very thing that stole his mother from him. He’s been covered in shifter bile, werewolf blood, vampire venom, all these things. He knows the horrors that come from monsters and he’d rather die a human than ever taste what flows through a monsters veins and makes them _different._

That was how he had been raised. 

So why hadn’t Sanghyuk turned out the same?

Sanghyuk had been in that room. He had seen their mother bleed out from a wound that would never have closed, her heart missing. He had seen Hongbin be pulled up by that vampire, raised by his throat and squeezed like a wet dish rag. Hongbin had almost died and yet he hadn’t been afraid for himself, only for Sanghyuk. That vampire wouldn’t lay a hand on Sanghyuk. It had killed their mother and yet Sanghyuk had… made a friend? In a _vampire?_

Hongbin was done crying. He was done feeling sorry for himself, screaming into his pillows and sobbing until he could barely breathe. He was _done._ Sanghyuk, his one and only brother, the one who had seen it all, seen every single side of him, had betrayed him. Sanghyuk had been through hell with Hongbin, had washed the grime and blood from Hongbin’s skin when he had been too tired to do it himself and now he was gone. Sanghyuk had trusted a vampire - trusts - a vampire despite _everything._

Trusting or even communicating with monsters isn’t uncommon. Hongbin can’t recall how many demons he’s spoken to that just come by to make nice with him and tease him or how many werewolves he’s spoken to that only cause trouble because of territory wars. For a hunter, he stays outside monster spats. It’s only when monsters attack humans that he gets involved. He’d rather not be mauled by a wolf because he stood too close to an invisible territory line with a silver blade.

But to trust a vampire? Hongbin couldn’t imagine how that would even begin. How had Sanghyuk met him? When had the vampire saved him before, like he said? Had he summoned him during their hunt instead of Chansik? Hongbin had done that anyways and apparently they had been too late because Sanghyuk had-

That vampire had touched Hongbin. That vampire had wiped his memory, made him forget but Hongbin remembered. He should have shot more, defended more, _killed._ He got the vampire through the eye and hurt its brain _sizzle_ and burn but Sanghyuk had wrestled with him and kicked the gun away from him all to protect a _monster._ It was a monster like that vampire that had killed their mother and Sanghyuk had run over to it and tried to protect it like it deserved to live.

Why? Why didn’t Sanghyuk kill it when he had the chance? He has seen everything Hongbin has. He’s felt the grief that never left them after all these years, the tears that still strike Hongbin and yet he’s found comfort in the very thing that Hongbin despises more than anything in this world. He’s a monster hunter, they both are, and Hongbin tries his best to be open minded. But after years of torment and heartbreak, he’s a little unsteady.

He shouldn’t have thrown Sanghyuk out. He should call him back and beg him to talk but he can’t. He won’t because Hongbin is nothing if not stubborn and Sanghyuk _betrayed_ him. He betrayed both of them and Hongbin can’t bring himself to be the one to call his brother back and ask for forgiveness when he has done nothing wrong. Sanghyuk has to be the one because if Sanghyuk’s ready, then Hongbin is.

The wounds are too fresh. Hongbin is bitter and angry and he’s done crying. He’s moved onto hard liquor and chain smoking just to get some feeling back into his chest. Sanghyuk isn’t a vampire but he did rip out Hongbin’s heart, twisted it and spat in his face and Hongbin still loves him more than anything. That’s why it hurts so fucking much. After everything, Sanghyuk is still Hongbin’s baby brother.

He’s smoking Sanghyuk’s cigarettes because they’re painfully alike in that way. He’s sitting on his couch and even though his landlord will kill him for smoking inside, he’s still doing it because Hongbin’s self control is found in Sanghyuk and without him, he’s long past judging what’s good and bad. He’s tired and too annoyed to actually move anyway. He only moves from his bed or the couch to eat and he hasn’t left the apartment in days. Chansik tried to stopped by before but Hongbin had locked the door and ignored the knocking and Chansik had given up and gone home.

Hongbin hasn't been this depressed in a while but it was Sanghyuk that got him through it. When Hongbin was shaking and crying, in hysterics because he was scared that he wouldn't be accepted into university, it was Sanghyuk that hugged him from behind, burrowing his face into Hongbin’s shoulders. When Sanghyuk had failed his driver’s license for the first time, it was Hongbin who took him out for roasted duck and paid for everything because Sanghyuk eats a lot when he's angry.

He relaxes into the couch after stubbing out his cigarette. With Sanghyuk gone, he has no family- _No._ Sanghyuk isn't dead. Hongbin isn't that stupid. He's hurt but he's not delusional. 

Why had he done it, though? Sanghyuk _knows_ how many times Hongbin has woken up screaming after that night. Hongbin hadn't been scared but trauma still haunts him, even when he's almost twenty four and has killed as many vampires as he can count. 

His phone is next to him and there's only notifications from Chansik. Sanghyuk hasn't texted, called, done anything. Hongbin doesn't know if he's angry or relieved about that.

 _why did you do that,_ he texts Sanghyuk with the four percent battery he has left and the reply doesn't hurt nor help him at all. It’s stagnant and his emotions are flat. He's cried too much.

_i trust him and he hasn't hurt me. or you_

_yet,_ Hongbin replies because this is how it always ends. Chansik somehow managed to date a werewolf at one point and he had almost died trying to escape. Hongbin had made many… mistakes in the form of sleeping with demons and once, an angel. He knows how it ends with monsters. Taekwoon, if that even is his real name, will kill his brother and then Hongbin and then Chansik and then-

 _No,_ he curses as his phone finally dies, a message from Sanghyuk flashing before it completely goes black and Hongbin throws his phone just so he doesn't have to feel the weight of his problems right in the palm of his hand.

Sanghyuk will get hurt. If he hasn't been hurt yet, he will be hurt. He’ll die and Hongbin will find his body, strung up and bleeding out, his heart gone and half eaten in an alleyway and Hongbin will cry and sob and scream and kill until he decides to give up and let himself die because without Sanghyuk, there's no point in Hongbin. Sanghyuk is his soul and Hongbin never was into poetry but his heart belongs to his brother and now it’s gone, black and inky just like the blood of the vampire that stole his brother’s mind.

Hongbin lies down, his eyes heavy. He's fucking exhausted and he doesn't have any more tears and Sanghyuk doesn't deserve them anymore. Hongbin loves him but love can't make him forgive what he did. He won’t ever understand it.

His eyes shoot open. Sanghyuk left his journal here and Hongbin’s never moved so quickly in his life. He slips into the bedroom, on the ground and snatches through the pages, some of them stuck together from the correction fluid slathered over Hongbin’s shitty handwriting and it’s like the stars know what he's doing because when he opens to the demon pages, his tattoos begin to burn, like they’re begging for his attention.

Demons are vicious creatures but Hongbin knows how to make one work for him. He's done it before and he can do it again. He’ll do anything for his brother and if that means he has to do this, then he will. He hates himself and he hates what Sanghyuk has done but he doesn't hate Sanghyuk. He can't hate him. He will never hate him.

He knows what he has to do. It’s crazy and ridiculous and he's never really summoned a demon for this reason before but Sanghyuk is Hongbin’s self-restraint and now he's alone and about to make the dumbest decision of his life. Sanghyuk made his choice and now Hongbin has to make his.

***

“When were you born?”

Taekwoon frowns and it’s a cute expression on him, making him look like a confused kitten. “How long ago was 1613?” he asks and Sanghyuk chokes on his cereal. It’s the middle of the night and he’s eating cereal whilst Taekwoon fastens the clasps on his boots before crossing his legs elegantly, leaning his chin on his hand.

They do the math together but Sanghyuk is shit at maths and Taekwoon is just counting on his fingers but they figure it out, meaning Taekwoon is at least four hundred years old, which he apparently already knew but he had been guessing the exact age for a while. He says he was born in November too, but he gave up celebrating his birthday once he was turned.

“Wait, so you were turned?” Sanghyuk asks, confused at that fact. Taekwoon seems way too powerful for him to have been turned. “I thought you were born. Are you stronger if you’re a born vampire?”

“Being born a vampire comes with its own consequences,” Taekwoon tells him, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. A small novel is on the table top in front of him; it’s Shakespeare because Taekwoon is way into plays and poetry. He even recited Edgar Allen Poe to Sanghyuk just because he mentioned studying him in high school. “If two vampires come together, then yes, they can have a child. But the mother runs the risk of- of _eating…_ her child.” He shivers. “That’s if the baby does not eat them first.”

“Can they both survive?” Sanghyuk really wishes he had his journal so he could write this down. He had never known about any of this or been taught it, or that werewolves mate for life but Taekwoon had informed of that too. And their mates don’t have to be werewolves either. Taekwoon has taught him a lot of things.

Taekwoon makes a face that’s a little confused, making a so-so gesture, his bracelet that one of his friends had given him clicking around. “In some cases, it can work. The mother always has to be fed well, though. To keep the baby and herself alive.” He shrugs. “It can work out better if one of the parents are human, because the baby won’t have to feed as often. But if the mother is a vampire, she runs the risk of eating the child again.”

Sanghyuk shivers. This is morbid as all hell but he hadn’t even considered that it might be a possibility to lose a child in a vampiric birth because of the mother. Pregnancies can be dangerous in general but the mother _eating_ their child… It’s unheard of to him.

He shivers again. Though this discussion is new, he had been able to learn a lot about Taekwoon in the past few weeks. Taekwoon has two friends he calls family and both of them are mortal, as far as Sanghyuk knows. They haven’t left the apartment in days because Taekwoon for some reason has food in the house and cooks for him. Sanghyuk isn’t up to leaving and going out just now and talking with Taekwoon about anything and everything is distracting him well enough. He’s yet to hear from Hongbin or Chansik. He’s not really sure if he wants to hear from either of them right now.

He had texted Hongbin earlier, two days after they had fought. Hongbin had still been upset which Sanghyuk wasn’t shocked at. His brother has not answered him since his last text of _i’m sorry_ and if he’s being completely honest, he doesn’t want an answer. Sanghyuk has apologised and they fought pretty badly; Sanghyuk doesn’t know the outcome after Hongbin has done the worst he could have planned for which was Hongbin throwing him out. He’s been waking up in cold sweats and sitting on the balcony, escaping to bed before Taekwoon catches him when he returns from hunting.

“Are you hungry?” Taekwoon asks, standing up, his boots clicking on the polished floor. He trails his hand up Sanghyuk’s arm only to touch his neck as he walks past, making Sanghyuk relax a little. 

It’s been like this for a few weeks now. It’s Sanghyuk’s apartment and with the amount of sigils carved into the walls, doors and floor, it took some time to make it Taekwoon friendly. He literally had to scratch off the paint on the door just so that Taekwoon could even get inside without Sanghyuk having to continuously invite him in.

Taekwoon leaves just before dawn but returns just after sunset. Sanghyuk assumes he returns to his own apartment or his friend’s place and the windows in Sanghyuk’s place aren’t exactly vampire friendly at all. He blocked up the bathroom ones but Taekwoon has his own bed and his apartment is relatively close to this one, according to Taekwoon himself. He said he’d rather not sleep in a bathtub again if he can avoid it and the bathtub isn’t big enough for Taekwoon’s long ass legs to fit into.

“I’m okay,” Sanghyuk answers, smiling softly up at him. “Will you hunt tonight?”

Taekwoon hums, making a cup of coffee before he comes back, crossing his legs again. “I don’t think I will. I need to check on my friends. Will you be alright?”

Sanghyuk nods, picking up the play Taekwoon was reading. It’s not one he recognises but that doesn’t surprise him. _Titus Andronicus,_ is the title and when Sanghyuk opens it, he’s surprised to find that it’s in English. He looks to Taekwoon who just avoids his gaze with a smug smile. “You speak English?” he asks, only to have Taekwoon shoot him a look of pride.

“I dabble,” he answers, like a smartass, smiling cheekily. “I speak a lot of languages.”

“Wait.” Sanghyuk looks at the front of the play and shuffles through his brain for whatever information he retained from high school lit classes. Taekwoon was born in 1613, meaning he was born three years before William Shakespeare’s death. And that _really_ puts into perspective just how old Taekwoon is. Sanghyuk’s high school education is serving him weird vibes now.

Taekwoon tilts his head in confusion when Sanghyuk frowns, stuck in his thoughts. “I speak Japanese,” he offers and Sanghyuk starts rattling off languages until Taekwoon is rolling his eyes back in his brain, trying to remember. According to him, he speaks Latin, French, Japanese, German, Swedish, English, Spanish, Chinese and _some_ Czech. He’s learning it, he admits which makes Sanghyuk chuckle. He tried learning Russian before but fell out of routine with it and he says he wants to pick up Arabic if he can.

Taekwoon doesn’t end up leaving that night even though he said he would. They stay up until Sanghyuk needs to go to sleep and Taekwoon needs to go home to his own apartment because of the coming dawn. He makes Sanghyuk a few meals that he can just heat up when he needs to before he heads off, leaving Sanghyuk alone to sleep.

***

The circle is complete.

Hongbin has done this ritual many, many times but he's alone right now. He's never done it without Chansik or Sanghyuk and he feels sick but everything is set and he lights the match, throwing it into the bowl in the centre of the pentagram. He needed _cat_ bones for this and he really hopes this works because they are not easy to come by. He buys from a dealer who appreciates that he doesn’t ask questions and it’s enough for him, so long as he doesn’t have to kill a fucking cat.

He waits for a second before swallowing his pride and his freezing breath and chanting the Latin. He could get any crossroad demon and he really doesn't want this to end with him dying but it’s a risk he’s going to take because he would have died a long time ago if he was scared of the darkness. He picks out his knife and slices the tip of his finger, hissing a little, and his blood sparkles in the moonlight before sparking the fire and turning the flames a bright gold.

Nothing happens at first and Hongbin curses, about to snuff out of the candles, his fingers hovering around the flame before all of them go out suddenly. A whoosh swims through his cold ears and everything grows cold around him. His hair stands up on his neck, his arms, even his legs and he stands up quickly, almost falling over when the demon is right in front of him, their noses touching. The shiver that overtakes him is powerful and shaking in terror, not from the cold.

The demon is standing tall and proud, its eyes completely black but glittering in the starlight. Its skin is oddly human, darker than most but it’s somehow beautiful in an other worldly way, beautiful. Its wings are massive, stretched out and flapping twice before they fold in and Hongbin notices the demon’s large ram horns, curling around its human ears. They’re black in colour too, almost fake looking but Hongbin is positive that they are real and they're intimidating as all hell. Sharpened to a point, actually and Hongbin knows that if he touched them, his fingers would be dripping with soot and blood.

“Ah,” the demon says, its voice as smooth as honey. “Lee Hongbin, was it? The hunter.” _He_ cracks his long neck, flashing his pure white fangs and he is still gorgeous, as much as Hongbin hates to admit that. Damn it- why are monsters always fucking with his head? “What is it, sweetheart?”

Hongbin is still bleeding slightly and he squeezes his finger in his fist, hoping to stop it quickly. He stands up quickly, the demon’s eyes trained on him and Hongbin steps outside of the circle. The demon can’t leave now and if he tries, Hongbin has his revolver fixed on his chest as well as a knife at his belt. “A vampire glamoured my brother,” he says and his voice is somehow steady. He knows he’ll end up crying because he always does over Sanghyuk but he’ll hold out as long as he can. This demon doesn't need to see his pain just so he can thrive off it. “I need you to kill it.”

The demon lifts a perfect eyebrow, staring at Hongbin with glinting eyes. They’re still black and yet, pretty and reflect the starlight above and Hongbin’s expression, which is one of anger now instead of fear- … Hongbin scrunches up his eyes in attempt to clear his head. He’s here for one thing only and no amount of demon charm is going to distract him.

“Your brother is Han Sanghyuk, no?” the demon asks, crossing his arms tightly. His suit rustles as he does so but it’s still perfect, the blood red shirt complimenting his skin beautifully.

Hongbin nods but the demon just licks his fangs, rolling his fingers along his arms. His rings catch the moonlight but Hongbin _ignores_ them and how long his fingers are. “I… I cannot help you, Hongbin. There’s nothing I can do.”

“Don't tell me _you're_ afraid of a fucking vampire,” Hongbin spits and if he had the guts, he’d grab this demon by the suit jacket and slam him to the ground like he did to Sang- 

_Shut up!_

He's been so angry at anything and everything and with this demon in front of him, he doesn't care anymore. He's too far gone to care if this demon doesn't like his attitude and if he has to spit in his face to get this job done, he fucking will. Maybe he’ll die. He’s had it coming for years now. “You can’t be serious.” He’s too caught up in his own head to think straight or even process what the hell he’s doing and when the demon replies, his head is filled with cotton suddenly.

“That's not the reason,” the demon replies carefully, stepping closer. Hongbin avoids his outstretched hands, not wanting the demon to even touch him even with the circle separating them. His fingernails are pointed and they’re blood red in colour, complimenting every part of him “I don't meddle with vampires. I literally _can't._ There is nothing I, or any other demon, can do for you, petal. If he was human, I’m obligated to but…”

Hongbin closes his eyes, trying to keep whatever emotions that are swirling inside him at bay but he's never been good with his self control. Punching the demon won’t end well and he would probably break his hand from the sheer force of it so he just drops to his knees, silent, weak. The candles have melted slightly from either the heat of their non-existent flame or this demon but Hongbin feels so fucking cold. It’s the dead of night and Hongbin is done with living.

“I’ll give you my soul,” he whispers because it’s the only thing left of him that he could possibly offer and it’s the only thing that this demon will take. He steps forward, into the circle and he looks up at the demon, into his shining _yellow_ eyes now and his mouth goes dry. The expression on his face is obvious but demons aren’t supposed to feel pity for humans. It’s not possible but Sanghyuk being glamoured by a vampire apparently is so Hongbin has stopped thinking things are impossible. “I’ll give you it. I’ll give you anything you want.”

“I cannot, sweetheart,” he whispers but takes Hongbin’s face in his hands. even when Hongbin lifts the gun under his chin with a glare. It’s surreal in every way and horribly _wrong_ but Hongbin will take anything he can get because he’s greedy even when his shining gun barrel is pushed against the demon’s jaw. Humans are and always will be greedy. “You understand, don’t you? If he was human, I would help you.” He meets Hongbin’s eyes and sighs when Hongbin starts to cry.

“I’ll give you my soul,” Hongbin repeats like an old record and the demon sighs, shaking his head. The revolver moves with the motion. Even his hair is pretty, the black locks slightly curled and catching the moonlight. Hongbin should shoot him.

“It’s no use to me if you’re this broken, sweet boy,” he replies, stroking his hair with a sad smile. Hongbin doesn't fight the affection; he doesn't think he can. He drops his arm, the revolver hanging by his leg. “You need to leave. There’s nothing I can do for you, Hongbin.”

“Can you watch them?” he tries as his last wish and the demon blinks, frowning a little. He's still pretty, even with his eyes the colour of amber and Hongbin suddenly doesn't mind the hands on his cheeks. The demon feels human to him now which means he's crazy. His hands are soft. “Can you do that?”

“If it will make you happy,” the demon replies, soft. Demons can’t act like this- _they’re not supposed to_ and yet… “My name is Hakyeon. Will you remember that?”

Hongbin nods, not able to look away from him and he swallows as Hakyeon’s wings out stretch to their full span. They have to be at least eight feet long and all Hongbin wants is for them to wrap around him and make him sleep for eternity. “Do you need my soul?”

Hakyeon’s face breaks into a smile, pointed fangs and all and Hongbin feels strangely warm. Most hunters would quake at the sight of Hakyeon, with his sharp teeth and huge wings, his horns and pitch black eyes. He steps back when Hongbin does too, dragging his foot through the markings to break the ritual. “Keep it, love. You’ll see me soon.”

And with that, he's gone and Hongbin is on the ground, rocks in his knees but his finger has stopped bleeding finally. Hakyeon is gone and now he's alone again and horribly worried but he still has his soul. He won't die. Hongbin isn't sure if he's okay with the outcome but it’s definitely better than signing away his life and dying at the claws and jaws of a hellhound and its master. Though, dying from Hakyeon doesn’t seem too bad.

Hongbin screws up his face, rubbing it all over before smacking his cheeks to wake himself up. His revolver is on the gravel and it’s strange that he remembers Sanghyuk’s hands grasping it from that night. He wonders why his mind is all over the place but he can't explain it. He really needs to go to sleep because he’s exhausted and is now thinking at a demon is gorgeous and that he wouldn’t mind dying from Hakyeon? Hongbin is smart but he’s yet to figure out demons and all their hell sourced glory. He can just tie this back to him being exhausted and distraught over his brother because if he keeps thinking about this, he’s going to drive himself up a wall.

He can't walk home with all the candles and the bowls because he will literally faint and he just lies down where he is. No one is around and no one will see him but when he closes his eyes, he can only feel his heart beating and the soft touch of feathers against his back, Hakyeon’s hand still warm on his cheek.

***

Sanghyuk wakes up one day to Taekwoon on the floor of his room which surprises him because it’s four in the afternoon and the sun is very much still up. He doesn’t know when Taekwoon came back but he’s stone cold and pretty much dead on the bedroom floor, hidden under a blanket. His hair covers his eyes, admittedly a bit long but he’s still pretty, even if he sleeps like a corpse. He’s not breathing and the sun that’s peaking through the blinds is almost touching his hand. Sanghyuk grabs some tape and sticks the blinds to the wall, protecting Taekwoon from the afternoon. He’ll have to properly fix his blinds because that tape won’t hold for long.

He’s able to order in some Vietnamese and the minute the sun is down, thumping comes from the bedroom. It surprises Sanghyuk but he continues to eat his Pho, even when Taekwoon more or less stumbles out of the doorway and falls to the floor with a grunt, twitching slightly

“Not a…“ Sanghyuk checks his watch as he chews. “Not a six in the afternoon person?”

“You would be surprised,” Taekwoon mumbles into the floor and in a flash, he's behind Sanghyuk, yawning in his ear just to make him squirm. “I don’t fall asleep as soon as the dawn comes anymore.”

He's not really sure if Taekwoon is trying to scare him or not but it’s not really working considering what he just did. Sanghyuk turns to look at him with a smile. “Is that normal for newborns?”

“As soon as the sun would rise, I would fall asleep,” Taekwoon says as he sits down, his eyes puffy and he blinks them slowly. _Cute._ “And when the sun sets, I wake up. That has not changed.”

“Not in four hundred years?”

Taekwoon chuckles, rubbing his slippers on the floor. His hair is ruffled and soft, mused and messy. He yawns like a kitten and Sanghyuk just watches him with a smile before finishing off his Pho quickly. He might go out tonight because he's getting antsy. “What are you doing tonight?”

Taekwoon hums in though before yawning again, covering his mouth. “I think… I’m going to see my friends. I have not seen them in a long time.” He had planned to a few days before but they had gotten too wrapped up in movies for Taekwoon to actually leave. 

Sanghyuk nods for a moment before Taekwoon looks in the eye, startling him. “I have a question and you may not like it.” Sanghyuk licks his lips before crossing his arms on the table, pushing his bowl away. Taekwoon clears his throat before he moves to the seat closest to him. Sanghyuk shrugs, waving his hand around in invitation.

“Why does Hongbin hate vampires so much?”

He blinks, stuttering for a minute, eyes trained on his bowl before clicking his tongue. “It’s…” Taekwoon deserves to know and Sanghyuk is done keeping him in the dark. “When we were younger, a vampire attacked our family. Our mother…” He swallows before shaking his head, avoiding Taekwoon’s eyes. “It hurt hyung more than me.”

“Your… Your mother?” Taekwoon asks, nervous and Sanghyuk smiles sadly, eyes fixed on the wall ahead. If he looks at Taekwoon, he’ll start crying. 

“My adoptive mother,” Sanghyuk replies and Taekwoon stares at him, his hands flexing like he wants to touch but isn’t sure how. Sanghyuk watches him before Taekwoon swallows whatever pride he has battling with and takes his hand. “Hyung’s mother. She was killed by vampires. He was almost turned.”

Taekwoon takes both his hands and squeezes. The contrast between their skin tones is striking and Sanghyuk stares at their hands even when Taekwoon speaks, focusing on something solid and grounding. “I am very sorry.”

“It wasn't you,” Sanghyuk says quickly, squeezing back in reassurance. “Hongbin-hyung just… He can't let go of it and I don't blame him but it-” He sighs, pulling a hand away to rub his forehead. “It’s really hard to explain.”

Taekwoon inches forward on his seat and intertwines his fingers with the hand he's still holding. Their fingers fit together surprisingly well. Sanghyuk shouldn’t dwell on it. “I understand. It’s trauma. You don't have to explain it.”

Sanghyuk is very grateful for Taekwoon. He doesn't push unless Sanghyuk is being stubborn and he minds his own when he has to. Taekwoon is looking at him with bright eyes, dark but full of life, something impossible but Sanghyuk has him. He trusts him.

“Come with me to my friend’s apartment,” Taekwoon says suddenly, startling him. Sanghyuk looks up at him with a frown which makes Taekwoon’s eyes widen comically. “You don't have to! Only if you are comfortabl-”

“But… They're your friends, so-” He scowls at himself, shaking his head. “Would they even like me?” He feels like he’s eight again, trying to ask someone for a fucking playdate.

Taekwoon pulls him to his feet quickly, grabbing their coats. Sanghyuk is left to stand there like a fool while Taekwoon speeds around and comes back with a bottle of wine that Sanghyuk just happens to have in his apartment. He doesn’t remember buying it. “They will like you! They… They’ve have asking about you for a while now, actually.”

“You talk about me?” Sanghyuk grins, trying to get into Taekwoon’s face as the vampire avoids him, leaning back with a grunt. He holds the wine up to block out Sanghyuk’s face.

“Being a vampire comes with struggles,” Taekwoon says, stepping away from him. “When we first met, I told them. They know about a lot of things.” He sighs as he grabs the keys and handing them to Sanghyuk since this is his apartment. “Wonshik acts as my therapist which- You know what?” He forces a smile. “We don't need to get into that.”

Sanghyuk smiles at him as they head out, the sun long since tucked away. His apartment is going to smell like Pho when he gets back but it will bother Taekwoon more than him.

***

Arguing can be heard when the odd pair reach Wonshik's apartment building. It doesn’t sound aggressive because Taekwoon knows that it never will but it definitely didn't sound positive. Whatever they're fighting about seems to be something petty because it’s something about age and if Taekwoon wanted to, he could use his clairvoyance to see what exactly started the argument but he can't be bothered and Jaehwan will most likely tell him when they walk in.

"Do they fight a lot?" Sanghyuk asks, shifting the wine that Taekwoon forced him to carry from hand to hand. Even with superhuman strength, Taekwoon is hilariously and ironically lazy and since he doesn't have to eat, he's never expected to bring food. He’s always the one that cooks it.

"No," Taekwoon replies, knocking on the door as he does. "If they do, Jaehwan is usually right and Wonshik is just fighting a losing battle."

Sanghyuk chuckles but doesn't say anything more and even though Taekwoon knocked, he steps in and drags Sanghyuk inside too, telling him to be quiet. The arguing comes to a complete stop when both of them hear the lock undo and Jaehwan is in the kitchen, the first to see them.

"Wow, even with another person, you still sneak in!" Jaehwan exclaims, exasperated. He throws his hands up for dramatic effect but hugs Taekwoon all the same. Taekwoon had warned Sanghyuk that Jaehwan was very loving and would smother him with affection as soon as he stepped in but he also didn't warn him that Jaehwan was apparently gorgeous because Sanghyuk is staring at him with wide eyes and Taekwoon can tell without even looking into his mind that Sanghyuk finds Jaehwan flawless. Everyone does.

"What is the argument?" Taekwoon asks, toeing off his shoes and Sanghyuk does the same, Taekwoon finally taking the bottle from him. "Because you know how it always ends."

Wonshik is in the hallway, his hand on his hip as he leans on the wall and he's scowling. "Whether or not your _friend,”_ he says, gesturing to Sanghyuk, “is older or younger. I said older. Thought I'd give you more credit."

"Appearance or actual age?" Taekwoon says quickly, about to rush into defense and Jaehwan rolls his eyes.

"Appearance, obviously. He's human. He can't be older than eighty." He looks at Sanghyuk before his eyes widen comically and he’s grabbing Sanghyuk’s face, moving it this way and that way to look for something Taekwoon can’t place. "Please tell me you're not eighteen. Taekwoon, that's super fucking weird. I know you're centuries old but have some class!”

"I would never!" Taekwoon spits, his shoulders cringing. His fingers flex before scrunching into fists, his teeth bared. "He's legal, if that was the base of your question."

"Looks real young, though," Wonshik adds and Taekwoon is about to kill one of them if they don't shut up. He’s never had to experience this before but the ridicule and crude implications of his friends are driving him up the wall.

Sanghyuk laughs behind him and Taekwoon's ears flush a bright crimson. He can feel his eyes glowing like they always do when he gets overwhelmed and he’s dreading Sanghyuk pinpointing that fact about him. "He’s twenty two, for the record,” he snarls. “I told you that _before.”_

"Thank God," Jaehwan breathes, still grinning. He feigns innocence at Taekwoon’s savage glare. “What?! We didn’t even know he was _real_ until now! Let alone that he’s young and you're chasing after h-”

"Don't say it," Taekwoon snaps and Jaehwan physically recoils, his hands screwing up and his face scrunching. He's not in pain because Taekwoon would never do that never will but he’s at least feeling uncomfortable from Taekwoon’s command.

"Don't do that!" he yells and Wonshik smacks Taekwoon's arm _hard,_ giving him a warning glare. When Taekwoon tries to defend himself, Wonshik flicks his forehead.

"You know you can't pull that shit here," he growls and Taekwoon bares his teeth that him, the two of them sizing each other up but Wonshik breaks focus to run his hand through Jaehwan's hair, the other man losing up and shivering.

"Now you've seen Taekwoon's better side," Wonshik says, smiling at Sanghyuk and his teeth are relatively normal aside from the canines being longer. He offers his hand and Sanghyuk shakes it, who seems surprised at the force behind it. "I'm Wonshik and that's Jaehwan. But you already know that."

"Sanghyuk," he replies, smiling. He nudges Taekwoon whose eyes are shining yellow and meets his eyes. "You okay?"

"It is strange," he answers quietly, glancing between Wonshik and Sanghyuk. On one hand, there's someone he has known for three years now and then Sanghyuk, someone he has known for not even five months and he's basically living with him. He looks up at Sanghyuk and swallows, forcing a smile. “A strange feeling. But I’m fine.”

Sanghyuk nods slowly, Wonshik taking the wine from him and popping it open in the kitchen, Jaehwan dances past, patting Taekwoon’s cheeks as the three of them head into the living room. Jaehwan sits down, crossing his legs as he grins. 

“I’m Jaehwan,” he says, offering his hand for Sanghyuk to shake. “And you’ve already met Wonshik. Welcome to our home.”

Sanghyuk takes his hand but pulls away quickly like he’s been burned. He rubs his hand, sitting close to Jaehwan to calm him because the nurse is now looking like he might cry. “Sorry,” Sanghyuk says quickly, showing him his palms to prove he’s not burnt. “I’ve got-” He pushed up his sleeves quickly, showing off an array of tattoos and pulls down the neck of his shirt to display even more ink. “Wards. Against a lot of monsters. My wolf ones are going off at you and him.”

“Oh,” Jaehwan breathes, his eyes fixed on Sanghyuk’s arms. “But not Taekwoon-hyung?”

“I think they like him,” Sanghyuk laughs. His hand must have stopped burning because he relaxes as Taekwoon sits next to him on the couch. “They don’t burn when he’s near me anymore.”

“Why did they burn for me, though?” Jaehwan frowns, glancing between him and Taekwoon. “I’m not a werewolf.”

“It may be the same as when I found you,” Taekwoon reassures. That confuses Sanghyuk, who’s staring at him with a frown while Jaehwan says _ahh_ and leans back in his chair. 

“When I first met Jaehwan, I tried to feed from him,” Taekwoon tells Sanghyuk as the hunter slumps back, taking a wine glass from Wonshik and holding it to his nose. “Wonshik attacked me.”

“And we’ve never been closer,” Wonshik says, smiling so hard his eyes close before he sits on Jaehwan’s lap, shifting so his weight is across both of his legs, rather than on one. Wonshik is heavy because he’s got a lot of muscle and Jaehwan’s legs don’t need to cop majority of it if they both can help it.

Sanghyuk downs his entire glass in a few seconds, even if it’s wine and Taekwoon is staring at him with wide eyes. He sets his glass down, swallowing thickly before shaking his head like a wet puppy, smiling at him. “So how long have you two been together?” he asks Jaehwan and Wonshik.

“Three years,” Wonshik answers while Jaehwan says, “Four.” They stare at each other and it’s Wonshik who looks like a fool as he counts on his fingers before he flushes bright red and mumbles, _four_ under his breath. Jaehwan smiles at him, kissing his cheek. Sanghyuk has already relaxed, the wine easing him into the conversation and he gets along with Wonshik, which admittedly, Taekwoon was a little afraid of. Wonshik can be intimidating and is fiercely protective of Jaehwan on a good day but not even two hours into the night, Sanghyuk is in his arms as Wonshik cuddles him just to see how hard he can squeeze before it hurts him.

This is Jaehwan’s first day off in a while and he heads to bed early, leaving the three of them alone and Wonshik’s demeanor changes drastically, his eyes pinned on Sanghyuk who’s back next to Taekwoon.

“How goes being a hunter?” he asks, a little sarcastically but Sanghyuk doesn't stiffen. He knows he's being attacked and Taekwoon is about to jump in and strangle Wonshik or kick themselves out but Sanghyuk just sits back in the couch and shrugs. Wonshik is challenging him and Taekwoon is started to feel sick.

“How goes being a werewolf?” Sanghyuk answers, raising his eyebrows. “It’s what you've done your whole life, isn't it? Been a wolf? I’ve been hunting my whole life so how is it any different to you? To what you know?”

Wonshik stares at him, assessing before he huffs one laugh and clicks his tongue. “Fair game,” is all he says and the whole room settles down. He's only being protective of not only himself and Jaehwan but Taekwoon too. Anyone could kill anyone in this room and Sanghyuk is outnumbered if he were to try anything (not that he would). Wonshik is being cautious and he has a right to be.

Sanghyuk’s phone vibrates and Taekwoon is able to spy the contact name before he can hide it, meeting Sanghyuk’s wide eyes. _Hongbin is calling._ He steps out while Wonshik starts to clean up with Taekwoon, nerves on edge as Sanghyuk stands on the balcony, his hand in his hair. Taekwoon could tune his hearing but he's trying too hard to _not_ listen and eavesdrop even though he desperately wants to.

“Who’s Hongbin?” Wonshik asks and Taekwoon didn't even consider that Wonshik can hear everything that's being said outside. “They're arguing. Badly.”

“His brother,” Taekwoon answers, final. He doesn't tell Wonshik that Hongbin is the one that shot a hole right through his damn eye. As far as Wonshik needs to know, Hongbin is Sanghyuk’s relative. He's not Wonshik’s problem and he never will be. 

“They're talking about you.” Wonshik leans on the counter, crossing his arms. “Hongbin is screaming. Sanghyuk is crying.”

Taekwoon flashes outside and hangs up Sanghyuk’s phone for him, tucking it into his own pocket and hugging the hunter. Sanghyuk tries to fight him, shoving and scratching at his back, repeating _I’m fine_ but he's sobbing into Taekwoon’s shoulder, the two of them falling onto the ground in a heap. He can sense Wonshik inside, now in the bedroom and he sighs, Sanghyuk’s sniffles fighting the sounds of the passing traffic below. His phone is vibrating in Taekwoon’s pocket and he fishes it out to turn it off, not bothering to try and not look at the texts on the screen from Hongbin.

 

_i hope you know it_  
_you made a mistake_  
_why would you do that?_  
_do you not know what we’ve been through?_  
_i trusted you_  
_how could you do this?_  
_you're with him? now?_  
_hyuk_  
_im your brother_  
_are you there?_  
_are you dead?_

 

“He's worried,” Sanghyuk says and if that's how he takes all those texts, you can call Taekwoon human and give him a job. Hongbin is manipulating him, forcing him to choose and Taekwoon knows it’s out of grief, out of his own personal trauma but that doesn't make it right. He's hurting Sanghyuk more than he's helping him and Taekwoon wants to vomit. If he had a beating heart, it would be racing but the only indication of his panic, his break in his calm facade is the popping and sliding out of his fangs. 

“Sanghyuk,” he whispers, sitting up with the hunter. Sanghyuk’s eyes widen at the sight of his fangs but he doesn't back away from him in fear. “Think about what you're doing. Your brother loves you, I’m certain of it, but he's hurting too. He’s hurting _you._ Do you really want to throw him away for me? For a vampire?”

“You are you,” Sanghyuk snaps, shaking his head. “You are Taekwoon. You're not just a vampire, a monster to me or to anyone.” He draws in a shaky breath and Taekwoon doesn't know why but he hands him his pocket watch to fiddle with. “You're just Taekwoon. And I’m not throwing anything away for you. Hongbin needs to stop babying me.”

“You're very clever.” Taekwoon watches his fingers dance across the dials, fucking with the time that Taekwoon will have to fix later. He doesn't mind, so long as it’s calming Sanghyuk down. “It… I want you to think about it. If he didn't want anything to do with you, he wouldn't be contacting you, let alone calling you.” _Even if he is screaming at him._

Sanghyuk closes his eyes, his tears coming to a slow stop. Taekwoon wants to kiss his cheeks just to make him feel better. “Would… If I went back home, would I still be allowed to speak to you?”

Taekwoon coos, taking Sanghyuk’s face and resting their foreheads together. “I will not make you choose between anything. You're an adult. But you may need to give Hongbin some more time.” He closes his eyes, frowning. “It is difficult for me, as well. I am not apart of a clan and whilst I can protect us both, I put you in danger at the same time.”

When Sanghyuk pulls back, confused, Taekwoon leans back on his hands, trying to come across as casual. It’s not common for vampires to “keep” humans by their side without feeding on them and with having any human close, it comes with consequences. “It’s like Jaehwan and Wonshik. Here, them together, is safe. But Jaehwan attracts other wolves because of Wonshik’s imprint on him.”

“Oh.” Sanghyuk is still frowning but his expression evening out. “I think I get it. That's why I thought Jaehwan-hyung was a wolf, right? Because of Wonshik-hyung’s imprint?”

 _Jaehwan-hyung. Wonshik-hyung._ Taekwoon smiles, inappropriate timing and all. He nods, tilting his head to the side. “Right now, with me, you're safe. But I cannot guarantee that you will always be safe. Vampires… They might hunt you. And I can't stop that.”

Sanghyuk nods slowly, smearing his snot all over his hand while wiping his nose. Taekwoon grimaces but the hunter waves his hand at him, which makes him fall back and scramble away. He’s immune to human diseases and illnesses but he still prefers let Sanghyuk keep his gross bodily functions to himself. Taekwoon barely remembers being human or being sick and it’s a gift to not have to worry about dying from a random illness that sprouts out of nowhere. Humans are weak things sometimes and yet they still prevail.

“I get it,” Sanghyuk agrees, once he's stopped being disgusting. “So… What should I do?”

Taekwoon hates saying it but they both need space. A lot of shit has hit the fan, as Wonshik would put it, and Taekwoon has a feeling that Hongbin wants his brother back. Soon, but not now, Sanghyuk should talk to Hongbin and possibly go back home, just to make up with Hongbin. It’s easier said than done but it’s worth a try. When he tells Sanghyuk that much, the hunter simply nods. Taekwoon can tell it’s been on his mind and Hongbin’s phone call seems to have urged him. It has to be Hongbin’s decision, though.

“Not now,” Taekwoon reassures, touching Sanghyuk’s cheek. “But… You were safer without me.”

“I can handle myself,” Sanghyuk answers, trying to bite Taekwoon’s hand. “I handled myself before I met you.”

“Yes, but if it is my fault that you were hurt-”

“I don't need a babysitter,” Sanghyuk defends but softens, understanding Taekwoon’s fear. “I know what you're trying to say. I’ll… I'll leave Hongbin-hyung a message. And I am still a hunter. Being hunted isn’t new to me.” 

Taekwoon nods, averting his eyes. Sanghyuk starts to laugh and stands up, cracking his back loudly. “And besides,” he says with a cheeky grin. “You couldn’t get rid of me even if you wanted to.”

Taekwoon has to agree. Sanghyuk is apart of his life now, whether he wants it or not. But he does want it, because Sanghyuk is Sanghyuk and Taekwoon is too far gone to back out now and just forget him. It’s fun with Sanghyuk, anyway.

They head back to Sanghyuk’s apartment, Wonshik leaving a text for Taekwoon that wishes him and Sanghyuk well and that _Hongbin leaves you the fuck alone. :)._ Taekwoon chuckles at the text but doesn’t show Sanghyuk out of respect. The night for them is quiet and Sanghyuk ends up falling asleep on Taekwoon, a little drunk and giggly. Taekwoon is buzzed but not as much as the hunter and it’s comfortable, horribly cliche but lovely all the same.

Sanghyuk is very big and it takes some maneuvering but Taekwoon is able to fall into the couch with Sanghyuk in his arms, secure, safe and feeling like home even if he’s going to have to leave come dawn. He hates sleeping in the bathroom or under Sanghyuk’s bed (that’s another story) but right now, this is wonderful and fuelling Taekwoon’s tendency to need cuddles at every minute of every day. Their phones are on the coffee table, Sanghyuk’s still turned off and he takes a breath he doesn’t need, making Sanghyuk rise on his chest.

Hongbin won’t come looking for them. He’ll be able to sense Taekwoon from a mile away and vise versa. Both of the brothers are hurting, suffering even from each other and their mistakes. Sanghyuk needs his brother as much as Hongbin needs him and Taekwoon doesn’t want to stand in between them. He hopes Sanghyuk thinks about what he said because he really doesn’t like to see him in pain in the slightest. After seeing Sanghyuk cry twice now, he never wants to see it happen again and he’ll do what he can to prevent it. Sanghyuk has been nothing but beautiful to him and Taekwoon will be damned if he doesn’t try and give him anything in return.

He sighs, tangles his fingers in Sanghyuk’s hair and closes his eyes. “Goodnight, Sanghyuk,” he whispers, Sanghyuk snuggling closer to him, into his neck specifically, his fluffy hair tickling Taekwoon’s cheek and making him smile softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE'S HAKYEON BABEY


	6. chapter six

It’s ironic to think that Sanghyuk is the one with the license between the brothers because Hongbin is almost twenty-four but never driven a car but the baby of their family does and Hongbin is forced to walk home from the bus because Sanghyuk isn't here right now. Sanghyuk hasn't been here, with him, for weeks. He’s probably not coming back for months. 

It’s getting colder by the day. The days and his heart are starting to freeze over and he can’t even stop the latter. He’s bitter and he’s not bothering to save himself. Hongbin hopes he's being a good brother by wishing Sanghyuk well into the winter but without a text from him and Hongbin ignoring Sanghyuk’s texts, he supposes he's not taking the best big brother of the year award. He wants to call Sanghyuk and he did a few days ago but he never picked up. The last call they had was God knows how long ago and he ended up screaming at him while Sanghyuk cried. Hongbin wants to finally make up with him but he can't because Sanghyuk is still with that vampire and Hongbin still has his issues.

He stops at a light post only to smack his head against it like a fool in a rom com. He's pathetic and he knows it but it’s the middle of the night and he's way too sober to think about how much of a shitty person he is. He's done that a lot recently and the same thoughts can only be dwelled on for so long before they get tiring. Hongbin’s sick of hearing his own voice in his head, taunting him.

“Feeling sorry for ourselves?” comes a voice and Hongbin knows it’s Hakyeon’s but he's too pitiful to look at him. He's been following Hongbin for a while if the sigils burned into his ribs are anything to go by but this is the first time Hakyeon has actually shown himself. He’s really not in the mood to talk to a fucking demon but Hakyeon is the only one that knows what’s going on. Here’s what you missed on Lee Hongbin’s Life!

“Am I a bad brother?” Hongbin asks because he is feeling sorry for himself and needs to talk to someone. Even if that someone is an ancient crossroads demon with ram horns and a pretty face. He can’t even be bothered processing anything at this point.

“Do you want my honest opinion?” Hakyeon counters. Hongbin looks at him finally, finding him to look very human; he has no horns or wings and his eyes are soft, still a little amber but not glowing bright like they usually are. He’s gorgeous, as always and Hongbin nods, his head still against the pole. Hakyeon sighs, crossing his arms tightly. “On one hand, I think you're an awful brother-”

“Great,” Hongbin snaps and walks away because he asked for the truth but he's petty and can't take it. Hakyeon is literally giving him what he asked for but he's too stubborn to listen, too pathetic even if Hakyeon just told him exactly how he feels. He’s been doing that a lot recently.

Hakyeon grabs his wrist and pulls him back, searching his face with glaring eyes. Hongbin hates how easily he melts into Hakyeon’s touch, even if it’s not meant to be tender. “If you would let me _finish,”_ he growls, his teeth still sharp and Hongbin flinches back, unable to look away from him. He’s terrifyingly beautiful and Hongbin wishes he was drunk so he could forget these thoughts when he wakes up. “I was going to say I _understand_ why you reacted the way you did. I know what happened to your parents.”

Hongbin is let go suddenly. Hakyeon is annoyed but not violent and he rubs his wrist before shaking his head, trying to keep his tears back. “Then why am I the bad guy? Why won't he listen to me?”

“Hongbin, it’s called love,” Hakyeon says with another sigh. He’s not in a suit and he looks soft in his black turtleneck and fingerless gloves. Cuddly. “Vampires feel it too. Even demons do, sometimes. It’s a natural thing and now… Your brother has his own love. I won’t say that it is romantic but it _is_ love, to an extent.”

“And it’s a vampire,” he spits. His parents were killed by vampires and while they may not be Sanghyuk’s real ones, they sure did raise him as best as they could. Sanghyuk watched Hongbin’s mother die at the hands of someone exactly like Taekwoon and yet Hongbin is the bad guy for hating him? When Sanghyuk watched him almost die from a vampire when Hongbin was eight? “It could have been anything else. A werewolf, for crying out loud. Why the fuck did it have to be-”

 _“He_ is a vampire and _you_ need to get over yourself,” Hakyeon says as he jabs Hongbin in the chest, _hard._ If he had claws, Hongbin’s chest would have holes in it. His horns materialise out of nowhere as well as his eyes flooding with black and Hongbin swallows, afraid. “If _Taekwoon_ wanted either of you dead, don't you think he would have done it by now? He's been alive this long. He knows how to kill and who are you to defend against a vampire who already has your brother?” He looks away only to scowl and cross his arms again. “You're smarter than this, Hongbin.”

Hongbin should believe him because Hakyeon has been watching them, he knows first hand how they act together, but he’s stubborn and bitchy and too pitiful to admit when he’s wrong. “Stop acting like you know me.” Hongbin walks away because it’s the one thing he's always been good at. He's always been a coward deep down and now a fucking crossroads demon knows it. 

Hongbin feels himself be slammed into some poor neighbourhood resident’s fence before he even hears Hakyeon’s footsteps and now there’s a demon in his face, all amber eyes and horns and it seems his wings are about to sprawl out too. He couldn't look more angry if he tried and Hongbin has known him for almost three months now, Hakyeon the only one who has religiously checked on him despite being a hell bearing demon.

“Do you hear how pathetic you sound!” he yells and it’s enough to make some people turn on their lights in the neighbourhood. It echoes through Hongbin’s head, rattling his brain and making his ears ring. Hakyeon curses and grabs Hongbin by the shoulders and now they're in Hongbin’s apartment, him feeling sick and Hakyeon still pissed. “Hongbin, I _know_ you. Whether it’s the records of you that I have or just being with you, I know you. I’m not asking you to get over your mother’s death but you need to know that Taekwoon isn't dangerous. There's been nothing for me to say or report to you because nothing has _happened!”_

Hongbin falls on the floor, his puffy jacket cushioning most of his fall. Hakyeon glares down at him, his eyes fiery and alight, amber and almost on fire. Hongbin isn’t afraid of _him_ per se but he’s shaking from his own fear and from the cold of outside. 

Hakyeon kneels in front of him, keeping his hands to himself but he’s still angry, furious even, all because Hongbin just won’t listen to him. “Sanghyuk isn’t a child anymore,” he says quietly, squeezing his hands together. His ram horns evaporate into thin air. “You cannot keep him in the dark. I know that you know that, Hongbin.”

His phone is heavy in his pocket and he’s looking up at Hakyeon with wide eyes. He’s right, Hongbin does need to let Sanghyuk grow up but that’s hard for him. Sanghyuk is and always will be his baby brother, no matter what. But now, Sanghyuk is gone, taken away from him and Hongbin is grieving, in a way. He couldn’t protect him and now he’s lost him, he’s lost his greatest treasure to the thing he hates most.

“So what do I do?” Hongbin breathes, his voice catching. He’s going to cry and he can feel the tears welling up, clouding his vision. Holding them back doesn’t work anymore. “Hakyeon, what do I do?”

“You call him,” the demon answers, soft, holding his arms out and Hongbin more or less barrels into him, taking him to the floor in one swoop. “You text him, Bin. Just contact him and don’t scream at him.”

“I’m scared,” he whispers into Hakyeon’s neck, his hands grasped tight on his clothes. The fabric is clenched tight, fluffy and blocking his nails from breaking the skin of his palms. “I’m so _fucking_ scared. I don’t want-”

“I know.” Hakyeon’s hand is in his hair, stroking it as he presses his lips to Hongbin’s forehead. “I know. But you have to do this or you’re going to lose him.”

Hakyeon has been his pick me up for a while now. He hasn’t seen Chansik and his team since they drank in his apartment and then Sanghyuk came home and everything from that night forward is lost to him. It’s blurry and Hongbin barely remembers summoning Hakyeon but now he’s in a demon’s arms, crying his eyes out as Hakyeon kisses his forehead, comforting and warm. How is he any better than Sanghyuk right now? His brother trusts a vampire and now Hongbin is locked in Hakyeon’s arms and melting into him, his sobs easing from the beating of Hakyeon’s heart.

“Look at me,” Hakyeon says softly, trying to tip Hongbin’s chin up but he shakes his head.

“I’m gross.” Hongbin sniffs, his nose running and Hakyeon chuckles, pulling him closer as he lays down on the floor completely, Hongbin tucked into his chest and he shivers when he feels Hakyeon’s wings enclose them, protected and safe. At first, Hongbin had avoided Hakyeon at all costs, shoving him away and dodging his hands. He had thought that once Hakyeon touched him, he’d be dead or cursed but the demon had waited patiently for him to come around and has been keeping up his end of the deal, even if Hongbin never promised him anything. Hongbin owes him nothing but Hakyeon is still doing what he was asked, checking in on Taekwoon and Sanghyuk and making sure his brother is safe. Hongbin’s too much of a coward to go looking for them and knowing Sanghyuk, he’d fight for the vampire if needed like he has done before. He’s never gone this long without his brother and Hakyeon was the one to hold him and rock him back and forth when he had finally snapped.

Hakyeon, as weird and motherly as he is, is a demon. He’s everything Hongbin should be afraid and he’s what has killed so many hunters with no remorse. Hongbin had told him that much, cussed him out and screamed at him until he lost his voice, angry at himself, Sanghyuk, Taekwoon and Hakyeon all together but Hakyeon just stood there, his wings twitching every now and then before Hongbin had collapsed, Hakyeon tucking him into bed to recover from exhaustion. A fucking _demon_ was his best friend right now, cooking for him and keeping him safe from every other monster that chooses to cross his path. Hongbin hasn’t hunted in months because he hasn’t needed to; Hakyeon’s energy is enough to keep anything that could ever harm him away and frightened. Apparently his true form is something all monsters can see, meaning he’s a three headed venom spitting dragon but Hongbin had caught him out on that lie, it being too ridiculous for anyone to believe.

“What if…” Hongbin hiccups. “What if he doesn’t want to see me anymore?”

“You kicked him out, Hongbin.” Hakyeon’s voice isn’t unkind but it is definite. “He had somewhere to go, people to turn to. He broke your trust but you broke his as well. Both of you are not in the right at the moment so I think he’s waiting for you to come around. He hurt you a lot more than you hurt him but he’s suffering because of his actions. You have to realise that.”

Hongbin struggles up, his arms shaky and looks down at Hakyeon, who still looks beautiful even with his inky hair spilling across the carpet. Hongbin must look a mess but Hakyeon pats his cheek with a smile. “I’m scared,” he whispers again.

“Sanghyuk loves you,” Hakyeon says, absolute. “Loves you more than _anything,_ Hongbin. You’re not the same without him and he’s not the same without you. So, you need to speak about your problems face to face, rather than over the phone.”

Hongbin sniffs, laying on the floor next to Hakyeon. Last time he was in this position, he was sobbing until he couldn’t breathe after throwing a bowl at Sanghyuk and screaming at that he never wanted to see him again. The contrast is jarring to him. “How are you so good at human advice?” he asks while Hakyeon picks at his black nails, blowing on them to clear the non-existent dust from them.

“I’ve been alive for a very long time,” he answers, clicking his tongue. “Longer than you can fathom, actually. I’ve had my fair share of human experiences.” He sits up on his elbow, looking right at Hongbin. “I lived as a human for some time many years ago. But a demon has to return to their duties eventually.”

“Which is why you’re always bothering me,” Hongbin snarks, earning a swift smack on the arm from the demon who scowls at him, pointing a finger at his chest.

“You’re not sick of me yet so don’t give me a deadline.” Hakyeon stands up in one smooth motion, shrugging his shoulders and straightening his clothes. He helps Hongbin up, giving his hand a squeeze before dropping them. “You know how to contact me,” he says and when he smiles, Hongbin’s heart speeds up stupidly. “Goodbye, Binnie.”

He’s left alone in his apartment, Hakyeon having already done _meal prep_ for him and he grabs one of the containers out of the fridge with a shake of his head. His life is far from perfect but in the recent months, it’s been plain weird and strange, a crossroads demon taking care of him while his little brother more or less lives with a vampire that Hongbin shot in the head. 

He takes two painkillers after he’s done eating, his head throbbing hard which he believes he can tie to Hakyeon’s residual energy. He falls asleep on the couch and when he wakes up, there’s a blanket over him, a pillow under his head and his phone is on charge, the apartment cleaned spotless and it makes Hongbin smile just a little bit.

 

***

 

Sanghyuk wakes up to Taekwoon in his bed for once.

He doesn't remember how they got here but Taekwoon once again is sleeping like he's dead, only it’s five in the morning and if Sanghyuk doesn't tape his blinds shut, Taekwoon’s legs are about to become very crispy.

It’s about time he Taekwoon proofed his apartment and now, with his curtains pegged, taped and stapled together, there's not a shred of sunlight in his bedroom. Taekwoon is safe now but Sanghyuk stumbles back to the bed in the dark, cursing. He falls onto the bed but is caught by Taekwoon, who is not completely conscious but alive enough to wrap his arms around Sanghyuk and literally roll him over the top of him and into bed. Taekwoon’s on his chest now, arms around his torso and legs tangled in Sanghyuk’s, holding on like Sanghyuk is his lifeline.

“Squeeze any harder and you're gonna break my ribs,” he coughs which makes Taekwoon immediately loosen his hold. “Thanks. I’m still human, you know.”

“I know,” Taekwoon replies, quiet and against the skin of Sanghyuk’s neck, making him shiver. Taekwoon may be deathly cold but he’s making Sanghyuk heat up immensely. “It’s obvious.”

“My blood?” Sanghyuk asks, dumbly. He doesn't think he can go back to sleep after this.

Taekwoon hums but doesn't say anything more, his body still and it’s jarring how cold he is now that he’s asleep. Sanghyuk can't really complain; he's cuddling a vampire who basically lives with him. His life is a little weird as of late but he likes it enough. Taekwoon is good to be around, even if he's a little bit stupid when it comes to modern things. He still hasn't figured out that in order to have your phone so people can contact you, you have to charge it. Once it’s flat, Taekwoon’s phone is dead for days until he remembers to plug it in. But it’s endearing in a way and Sanghyuk thinks Taekwoon is too cute to handle sometimes even if he’s pissing him off by not knowing how to use a computer.

He tries to shift himself but Taekwoon is locked onto his body. He's not moving for another few hours, give or take since the sun is going to rise soon. Taekwoon, once he's asleep, can't be woken up as far as he knows. Closer to sunset, it’s possible but with the sun rising in about an hour, Taekwoon is literally dead to the world especially since he was already asleep before Sanghyuk had to make his bedroom vampire friendly. Even when he physically tries to flip himself over Taekwoon, he's pinned to the bed.

With Taekwoon next to him, Sanghyuk is stuck for a while so he may as well enjoy it.

Taekwoon has only slept at his place a handful of times but never in his bed. It’s strangely comforting to have someone to close to him during the night and there's been two or three times that Taekwoon has come back to his apartment to Sanghyuk in the midst of a nightmare, waking him and comforting him as best as he can. Right now, he’s calm, content almost. Taekwoon instantly settles his nerves and he can’t tie that to anything supernatural; Taekwoon is solace in human form (vampire form?) and Sanghyuk loves it, to say the least.

But Taekwoon proposed something to him a while ago and he’s still thinking about it. It’s a lot to think about and he’s scared of what’s to come, the decisions he’s yet to come already hurting him. Hongbin… Sanghyuk misses him terribly. He’s only ever known Hongbin and now that he’s gone, Sanghyuk has others but he doesn’t have his brother to come home to. Taekwoon is lovely, taking care of him and just being there for him and meeting Jaehwan and Wonshik was a lot of fun but they’re not Hongbin. Sanghyuk needs his brother. It’s been weeks, _months_ and the first phone call he got was a little over two weeks ago, and Hongbin ended up screaming at him. Sanghyuk had only cried because he was so relieved to hear his voice but it had ended messily and Taekwoon once again had been the one to calm him down.

His phone vibrates on the bedside table and Taekwoon groans when Sanghyuk has to shift in order to grab it. Taekwoon snuggles back into Sanghyuk’s neck when he settles back down, his lips brushing against the skin and making Sanghyuk draw in a sharp breath. He really doesn’t need to deal with a sleepy Taekwoon who’s borderline kissing his neck but it’s what he’s getting. He’s just going to have to ignore it as best as he can.

It’s a text from _Hongbin_ that makes his stomach drop and his heart speed up. Taekwoon mumbles into his skin, his lips brushing against his pulse point and it makes Sanghyuk shy away but smile at the same time, distracting him a little. _Can we meet up?_ Hongbin asks, followed by _i need to speak to you please sanghyuk no games i promise._

 _I’ll come,_ Sanghyuk answers, wrapping his arm around Taekwoon and it’s ironic for him to be texting his vampire-hating brother while he’s cuddling and more or less getting kissed by one. He really hopes Taekwoon is conscious enough to know not to bite him. _The apartment or somewhere else?_

 _The apartment please,_ Hongbin answers, the ellipse popping up a few times before the final message. _We really need to talk thats all._

Hongbin sounds rattled over text but Sanghyuk agrees, his heart speeding up and it’s obviously either annoying or disturbing Taekwoon because he keeps moving closer, his nose under Sanghyuk’s jaw while his hand is under the other side of his face, against his pulse point. He keeps mumbling nonsense, making Sanghyuk chuckle even if it’s tickling him. It’s nice to have someone next to him, domestic as it is, and Taekwoon is subconsciously raising his body temperature to match Sanghyuk’s.

He texts Hongbin _see you soon_ and puts his phone back, snuggling into Taekwoon finally. He buries his nose into Taekwoon’s hair and though they don’t do this often or at all, it’s personal and sweet and everything that Taekwoon is. Just because Taekwoon is completely out of it and won’t remember this, Sanghyuk kisses the crown of his head, content to just lie here for the time being.

“He loves you,” Taekwoon mutters, more into Sanghyuk’s neck thank out loud before sighing happily. Sanghyuk doesn’t know who he’s talking about or if he’s even talking to Sanghyuk but it fits the situation well. Hongbin loves Sanghyuk and he knows that. In whatever kind of way, Taekwoon loves Sanghyuk too. He smiles to himself, closing his eyes before kissing Taekwoon’s head again, the two of them cuddling while they sleep. It’s pleasant and Sanghyuk drifts off, sleeping soundly even when Taekwoon’s body temperature drops again.

He wakes up to an empty bed but Taekwoon is sitting on the edge of the bed, completely dressed and peering down at him, no doubt picking up on Sanghyuk’s heart rate. He looks pretty, even when Sanghyuk is only just adjusting to the darkness. Taekwoon is always pretty so Sanghyuk can rest assured that he still looks gorgeous in the early evening. Sanghyuk wants to kiss him.

“I apologise for coming into your bed,” Taekwoon says, stroking Sanghyuk’s cheek. “Sleeping on the floor can get painful after a while.” He sniffs, scrunching up his nose cutely. “And I was _not_ sleeping in the bath tub again.”

Sanghyuk snorts, leaning into Taekwoon’s hand. “Just tell me next time.” He yawns, avoiding Taekwoon when he tries to stick his finger in his mouth for whatever reason, batting his hand away. “But we sleep at different times so don’t pin me down to the bed if it’s the middle of the day.”

“I can wake up,” Taekwoon admits, smoothing down Sanghyuk’s hair. He switches on the bedside lamp and his eyes are alight, sparkling. “I won’t get up but you can wake me up.” He hums, eyes on his hand as he pets Sanghyuk. “I’m very… Not aware of anything around me during the day if I am awake. It’s better if I am asleep.”

Sanghyuk will have to keep that in mind. Right now, it’s eight in the evening and he has a missed call from Chansik of all people. He sniffs as he texts him back, Taekwoon’s hand tangling in his hair. He could almost fall back asleep but he needs to get up. He’s spent all day in bed so now he’s getting restless.

Taekwoon makes him dinner because he’s Sanghyuk’s domestic house husband at this point and Sanghyuk catches himself staring at him over the kitchen bar. He would usually talk to Hongbin about shit like this (example: him having a big crush on Taekwoon which he already knew but whatever) but Taekwoon is a vampire and Sanghyuk isn’t talking to Hongbin right now. He’s comfortable with Taekwoon and he’d be lying if he said that the vampire hadn’t literally changed his life. He’s taught him so much and Sanghyuk just likes being around him, learning from him and doing whatever they want. Taekwoon is different to anyone he’s ever met and Sanghyuk just wants to know everything about him, as much as Taekwoon is willing to share.

“You’re great,” he mumbles when Taekwoon sets the food down, startling Taekwoon but it just makes him smile. 

“Eat,” Taekwoon dodges as he sits down but he’s smiling still, his cheeks pink. The tapping of his fingers on the tabletop is background noise to them both. “Did I say anything to you while I was asleep?”

“Yeah.” Sanghyuk stuffs his cheeks before smiling, big cheeks and eye creases. “Told me you loved me.”

 _“What?”_ Taekwoon spits, leaning forward and Sanghyuk laughs, almost choking himself. He shakes his hands, smacking the table as he wheezes, Taekwoon’s face flushed bright red. He looks like he’s just been slapped by that confession.

“Kidding,” Sanghyuk laughs, patting Taekwoon’s hand. The vampire is very quick to lace their fingers together almost impulsively. “You just said ‘he loves you’ and nothing else. I was texting Hongbin at the time, though, so maybe you somehow picked up on that.”

Taekwoon averts his eyes, yellow flashing quickly as he looks away and he looks uncomfortable for a moment. He probably just processed what Sanghyuk actually said because he squeezes his hand, almost crushing it as he stares openly at Sanghyuk, eyes unblinking. “What did you say to him?”

“We’re gonna meet up,” Sanghyuk admits, trying to yawn around his rice. He needs to ask Taekwoon how he made this because the food is really good. “Back at the apartment. He said he just wants to talk so... I’m nervous but… I really miss him.”

Taekwoon hums, standing up before he returns with a cup of coffee, sipping it like he’s about to blackmail someone. “I hope that it goes well.” He’s probably going to feed tonight, actually. Sanghyuk doesn’t really want to be alone tonight while Taekwoon is out but he needs to feed and Sanghyuk needs to do some thinking. He takes a breath and Taekwoon bids him farewell after he’s done, smiling when Sanghyuk whispers be safe into his ear. Sanghyuk looks up at him, earning him a smile from the vampire before he’s gone, making his heart flutter.

Sanghyuk’s grappling with some things. Taekwoon is wonderful and everything about him makes Sanghyuk want to hold him close and never let him go. Taekwoon protects him, makes his nerves ease. He’s smart and funny in the weirdest way but he makes Sanghyuk laugh, calms him down when he’s freak out. He likes to touch and he finds warmth in Taekwoon’s grasp of his hand or his face tucked into Sanghyuk’s neck. He finds him beautiful, utterly indescribable because of how unique he is and Sanghyuk admires him. He’s deep in his feelings and there’s no turning back now but he doesn’t want to. But Taekwoon is a vampire and Sanghyuk is human and that in itself causes a lot of problems.

But Jaehwan is in his position right now, Sanghyuk realises. He’s dating a monster and has been for years so surely he would know how to deal with something like this? 

He calls Jaehwan, fully aware that it’s midnight and he might be at work. He does answer, surprisingly, saying he’s on break and can talk for a little bit. Sanghyuk doesn’t waste time and gets straight to it with, “How did you deal with Wonshik-hyung being a werewolf?”

Jaehwan laughs suddenly, completely stunned but he stops after a few seconds, humming a little. Sanghyuk needs to ask because it’s dawning on him very quickly how much he actually likes Taekwoon, how much he enjoys his company and cares for him, how much he want him in his life. It might not be the same as Jaehwan and Wonshik, who have been together for years now, but it’s his best bet. 

_“Well… I didn’t know Wonshik was a werewolf until he turned during a full moon.”_ Jaehwan laughs again, reminiscent. _“I locked myself in the bathroom while he trashed the apartment. I was so fucking scared but he turned back and almost left me that night.”_

Sanghyuk takes everything in, just listening as best as he can to Jaehwan. He honestly feels like crying when he listens to Jaehwan’s story because it’s breaking his heart. 

_“Wonshik just cried, Hyogi. He wanted to leave because he couldn’t stand the idea of ever hurting me. He did eventually run off for a while but he came back to me. But that’s the funny thing about love,”_ Jaehwan muses and though he’s telling a sad story, he seems very hopeful. _“It makes you do_ insane _shit. I fell in love with a werewolf, Sanghyuk, and I can’t fathom the idea of leaving him even though every full moon, he could kill me.”_ He sighs, static crinkling the line and Sanghyuk’s stomach is churning. _“I know he won’t ever do that and he’s a purebred too. His turnings are a lot less painful and less dangerous than a bitten wolf. That night was only so scary because he hadn’t even realised. The emotions swirling in him made it more difficult and he was worse than what he would have been normally because of how much he was fighting his transition. But now he lets himself and I sit with him all night until he turns back.”_ Jaehwan laughs softly. _“I’m like a guard dog when Wonshik wolfs out. Watching all night.”_

Sanghyuk chuckles at the irony but he supposes he can relate to Jaehwan’s story. He knows that Taekwoon won’t ever hurt him and Taekwoon knows that too; it’s what he was afraid of in the beginning. There’s never been any threats between them, despite him being a hunter and Taekwoon being a vampire. Now that he’s friends with Jaehwan and Wonshik, there’s not a chance that he would ever hurt Sanghyuk. He feels like that would be enough to convince Hongbin that Taekwoon is a good person and not someone who will eventually rip their heads off like Hongbin thinks he will. Taekwoon doesn’t want to be the reason he and Hongbin don’t talk anymore and Sanghyuk doesn’t blame him at all. Taekwoon is sweet and no harm to either of them; he just needs Hongbin to understand that. That, and he misses his brother desperately.

 _“You okay, Hyogi?”_ Sanghyuk completely forgot he was on call to Jaehwan but he smiles at the tone of his voice, gentle and soothing. _“You been thinking a lot, haven’t you?”_

“Yeah.” Sanghyuk leans his cheek on his hand. “Just about my brother and stuff.” He tells Jaehwan everything that’s happened because it occurs to him that Wonshik and Jaehwan don’t know anything about this at all. Taekwoon hasn’t told them because he wouldn’t unless Sanghyuk gave him permission to and Jaehwan just agrees with him when he pauses, letting Sanghyuk talk until he’s shaking, borderline scared of what Jaehwan has to say to him. When he’s done, Jaehwan just whistles a low note, sighing but it doesn’t sound disappointed, just tired.

 _“So your brother doesn’t accept your new relationship?”_ Sanghyuk had a feeling that Jaehwan would take that entire rant that way but it’s there now. He really likes Taekwoon and he has no idea what to do about it. _“It’s… Taekwoon-hyung is a really sweet guy. Wonshik and I love him so much and he loves us. Loves you too, I think. You really caught him off guard when you guys first met, it was actually kind of funny.”_

Sanghyuk laughs, his nerves calming down as he talks to Jaehwan. After a while, the nurse has to hang up and go back to work but he says _I love you_ even though they’ve met once, making kissing noises into the phone before he hangs up, leaving Sanghyuk in his apartment, comforted and reassured. He tries to cook up some food, fails, so he just heats up one of the meals Taekwoon cooked for him. He’s awake for the whole damn night, Taekwoon coming back around four in the morning and scaring the shit out him because of his _eyes._ It’s a good thing he had a big ass crisis earlier with Jaehwan to figure himself and his situation out because he’s too tired to really comprehend anything when Taekwoon comes back to his apartment.

Normally, Sanghyuk finds Taekwoon’s eyes stunning, even when they’re yellow and gleaming at him. But now, they’re flooded with red, blood curdling through the normal whites and even his pupils are gone, drowned in blood. His eyes are swimming with crimson and it only scares him for a minute, making him recoil before he’s intrigued, standing up and staring in awe.

“Please don’t,” Taekwoon whispers when Sanghyuk steps really close to him, peering into his eyes with his own wide. He’s trying to duck away, avoid Sanghyuk’s eyes and even closes his eyes to make Sanghyuk stop looking, his face and neck flushed prettily. Sanghyuk still thinks he’s alluring in the most unique way. “Sanghyuk, it’s-”

“It’s blood, right?” Sanghyuk asks, his hands on Taekwoon’s cheeks more out of comfort than force for him to open his eyes. His cheeks are soft and Sanghyuk tips his head up a little bit, thumbs swiping across his cheek bones. He’s genuinely just interested now that he’s over his shock but Taekwoon is embarrassed more than ashamed. 

Taekwoon nods, opening his eyes and looking up at Sanghyuk. His eyes are still pretty which is bullshit because _blood is swimming_ in his eyes and they’re watery with unshed bloody tears. Sanghyuk should be scared, disgusted but he’s just curious, Taekwoon’s entire person an enigma to him. “I don’t like it,” Taekwoon breathes, averting his eyes. “It’s… It’s blood- It’s not pretty. My vision is red, it’s not-”

“It is,” Sanghyuk defends, which makes Taekwoon look up at him in surprise, his hands on Sanghyuk’s wrists. He’s squeezing lightly, reassuring himself and Sanghyuk, his cheeks pink. He’s a beautiful killer and Sanghyuk is hypnotised by him, caught up in everything that Taekwoon is. “It’s like, creepy pretty. Strange but still cool, you know?” And he really just sold that truth to Taekwoon in the worst way possible.

“I don’t,” Taekwoon laughs, ducking his head again. “But thank you. It does not disappear for a while.” Sanghyuk steps away to give him space but Taekwoon takes his hand quickly, lacing their fingers together. It’s normal for them, even though Taekwoon’s hands are horrifically cold despite the new blood in him and dirt is under his nails. His touch makes Sanghyuk shiver and Taekwoon spikes his temperature up, heating Sanghyuk’s entire arm and his tattoos start to sing under his skin, responding to Taekwoon for him. 

They’re back in bed just before dawn, Taekwoon’s eyes slowly fading out and they’re in the same position as they were in the morning, only now they’re talking. Sanghyuk tells him his plans about Hongbin and how he spoke to Jaehwan. He doesn’t tell him that Jaehwan said Taekwoon loves him but with the vampire in his arms, he can feel the love between them, the connection evident. His tattoos loves Taekwoon now, even when he’s tucked into Sanghyuk’s neck, able to bite him and make him submit to him. But Sanghyuk is safe, trusting him with his life.

Taekwoon is humming in agreement with what he’s saying, more into his neck than anything and he smiles, hiding himself when Sanghyuk pokes his back, commenting on his body temperature.

“I change it to match yours,” Taekwoon admits, cuddling closer, his breath hot on Sanghyuk’s skin. “Or else I am too cold and you’re too warm. I can make myself colder, though.”

“Do that in the summer,” Sanghyuk says absentmindedly. Taekwoon seems happy about that future insinuation and Sanghyuk rubs his shoulder soothingly, taking a deep breath. He’s running on vampire time now and that makes him smile to himself. It works out better this way because Wonshik and Jaehwan are too. He falls asleep with Taekwoon in his arms, safe and protected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hyogi has a crush but you already knew that. me 2 sanghyuk !


	7. chapter seven

Sanghyuk rang him up finally and even though it was horribly awkward, they’re going to be meeting up in the next few days.

Hongbin would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous. They chose to meet up in the apartment mostly because it’s familiar and Sanghyuk wanted to pick up his journal anyways. Taekwoon will not come and Hongbin asked Hakyeon to keep an eye on them but not be present where Sanghyuk could actually sense him.

Hakyeon has been around a lot recently. It’s almost as if he’s not a hell abiding demon because he’s constantly around, appearing when Hongbin asks and even when he doesn’t. Hongbin has woken up to Hakyeon in the kitchen, to him flicking through the journal, to updating the wards and correcting the wrong ones, telling Hongbin that a wrong stroke caused the ward to fail. He’s protecting Hongbin in his own roundabout way, taking care of him almost. He’s meal prepped for him which Hongbin has demolished and needs an update on and cleaned his entire apartment. Apparently, Hakyeon used to live amongst humans before he was called back to hell after almost fifteen years. Throughout most centuries, he’s made it a mission to settle back into human society and see how things had changed.

Right now, Hakyeon is lighting candles Hongbin remembers Sanghyuk buying for rituals, only to give the room some low light. Hongbin’s eyes have been straining because of his computer and he wants to rest them as best as he can, his glasses high on his nose. He squeezes them shut to feel them sting, blinking a few times to settle his vision. 

Hakyeon had scared him at first; he wouldn’t stop following Hongbin around, appearing in front of him or in the middle of the night. He had just shown up in the seat next to Hongbin and scared him so bad that he had fallen off his chair, hissing up at the demon who sat elegantly, long legs crossed and looking beautiful.

_“Did I scare you?”_ he had asked and Hongbin stood up, smacking Hakyeon in the chest before he can tackled to the ground, Hakyeon’s wings outstretched and brushing against one of his apartment wall. Hongbin had stared wide eyed up at him but touched Hakyeon’s feathers, making the demon physically recoil and hiss like a snake. Now, Hongbin did that whenever Hakyeon pisses him off.

But Hakyeon had stuck around, providing conversation for Hongbin when it all got too difficult. He had even reviewed the journal, pointing out what was correct about demons and what needed to be added. He told Hongbin that demons of any age can be called to hell and that Hakyeon is a higher powered demon, crossroads being respected very highly for their work with human souls. Many demons know him but leave him alone, even when he’s more or less protecting Hongbin. Hongbin’s runes stopped burning after a while and even when Hakyeon touches them, they sing instead of searing him. 

Hakyeon finishes lighting the candles, his wings ruffling slightly. The feathers are big, silky and smooth. They’re inky, endless in the darkness of the living room and Hongbin wants to touch them. “He’ll be here a while, won’t he?” he asks and he feels so pathetic even saying it, referring to Taekwoon. He’s been overthinking what he’s going to say to Sanghyuk and how he’s going to talk about Taekwoon with his brother. It’s obvious that Taekwoon will live forever if unprovoked and right now, his forever is Sanghyuk. Even if it’s not romantic, it’s clear that Sanghyuk isn’t planning a future that doesn’t have Taekwoon somewhat in it. Like what Hongbin is doing right now with Hakyeon. He feels like a hypocrite in the worst way possible.

Hakyeon sits next to him and curls a wing around Hongbin’s shoulders, leaning into him. Hongbin doesn’t know when he started to be okay with this but it’s so comforting. “I cannot tell you what you should do,” he says, playing with Hongbin’s soft hair just to fiddle with his ears. Hongbin touches one of Hakyeon’s feathers, making the demon shiver slightly. “But you know the answer, Binnie. You’re very clever.”

Hongbin looks at the demon and he’s known since he first saw Hakyeon that he was gorgeous. But even now so, the two of them secluded by his wings and his eyes glowing a faint yellow. It goes against everything Hongbin has been trained to think; Hakyeon has killed many, has taken the souls of so many just like Hongbin. He almost took Hongbin’s and he would have, if the circumstances had aligned. But right now, Hongbin only finds solidarity and comfort in him, even if he’s a hell bearing soul stealing crossroads demon. He looks away when Hakyeon meets his eyes but the demon just smiles, ducking his head and trying to get Hongbin to look at him.

“What will you say to him?” Hakyeon asks, running his fingers through Hongbin’s hair. It makes him relax immediately, his shoulders slumping and his eyes slipping closed. Hongbin is exhausted and he really should go to bed but Hakyeon is warm and inviting.

Hongbin hums, Hakyeon’s nails scratching against his scalp. “About Taekwoon… I want to hear Hyukkie out. I… I love him and I hate that- that it took _this_ for me to finally realise how much I need him.” He opens his eyes, Hakyeon leaning his forehead against his. “I want my brother back. And- And Taekwoon… I’ll tolerate him.”

Hakyeon snorts, nudging their noses together. Hongbin is drawn to him, his heart racing just from his smile. “To be honest, it hasn’t been bad.” He presses closer to Hongbin, almost pushing him over. “Taekwoon takes care of him. Meal preps like I do.” He scrunches up his nose. “Though now I realise that both of us are like-”

“Monster house husbands?” Hongbin teases, making Hakyeon neck chop him with a frown.

Hakyeon sighs, leaning his forehead against Hongbin’s again. Hongbin closes his eyes, holding onto Hakyeon’s wrists when the demon touches his face, stroking his cheekbones. It’s strange that Hakyeon feels like home but it must mean something since not even his wards in the apartment are screaming at him or warning him against Hakyeon, his runes calm and soothing on his skin instead of making his blood boil. 

Hakyeon shifts, making Hongbin open his eyes to meet the demon’s, his eyes yellow once more. Hongbin blinks at him, captivated by him and he wants to kiss him which catches him off guard. He feels guilty because this is exactly what he threw Sanghyuk out for, for inviting a monster in his life and Hongbin is about to cross a line that he won’t come back from, a line that he doesn’t want to come back from.

Hongbin isn’t sure if Hakyeon can read minds but he seems to understand the look in Hongbin’s eyes because he does nothing but softly press his lips against Hongbin’s, his fingers threading through Hongbin’s hair, just shy of pulling it. It’s so natural between them and Hongbin relaxes completely, breathing the same air as Hakyeon when they pull away. He can’t explain what kissing Hakyeon feels like besides protection. No one can see them, arm them, anything, because Hakyeon’s inky black wings are hiding them away from the world. It’s just them and nothing else.

“What are you thinking, love?” Hakyeon whispers like what they just did was completely normal and Hongbin finds that it is. They don’t need to talk about it; they’re both on the same page. It’s comfortable to them both and Hongbin feels a shiver run up his spine at the pet name. Hakyeon has been calling him pet names since the get go and for once in Hongbin’s life, he hasn’t minded them. Chansik has called him every name in the book and it constantly makes Hongbin cringe whenever Jinyoung calls him _baby_ but Hakyeon- something about him makes Hongbin feel secure. Hakyeon’s voice or presence or whatever a romantic poet would tie it down to reels him in and keeps him grounded, safe in demon wings and glowing eyes.

“Too many things,” Hongbin replies, his voice shaky. Hakyeon draws him in, letting Hongbin tuck his face into Hakyeon’s chest and the demon takes a deep breath, kissing his head softly. It’s sweet, domestic and a little abnormal but Hongbin’s heart immediately calms down. “Hyukkie- I can’t lose him. I don’t want to lose him.”

“You don’t have to lose him,” he says softly, mainly into Hongbin’s hair. He’s playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, soothing him. “He loves you more than he can bare but you’re hurting him, baby. He’s not a child anymore and he’s long since grown up. He trusts Taekwoon and if you don’t trust him, then just trust Sanghyuk like you always have.” He pulls away just to look at Hongbin and kisses him softly and it just feels right. Hongbin doesn’t want to think about it; he’s been thinking too much.

“You’ll do the right thing,” Hakyeon says, kissing him again with a little more push, like he’s trying to make Hongbin more determined. “I trust _you_ to make things right.”

“What if I screw it up?” Because all of this was caused as a result of Hongbin’s prejudice. He took Sanghyuk’s judgement and threw it away, thinking he knew better but Sanghyuk had never tried to hurt him. His brother knew the dangers of vampires, had seen how one had ripped their mother to pieces and almost taken Hongbin’s humanity that night. Sanghyuk knew how it felt to be glamoured and yet Hongbin had ignored him when he claimed he wasn’t, trying to kill Taekwoon with every bit of strength he had. And what had Taekwoon done? He had saved him, put him back in his apartment to heal, all when Hongbin had tried to cut his head off and hang it on his wall. Taekwoon isn’t a young vampire either and if he had wanted to kill Sanghyuk or Hongbin, he would have done it already.

“You won’t,” Hakyeon mused, kissing his forehead this time. Hongbin closes his eyes, basking in Hakyeon’s softness. “You know Sanghyuk better than anyone. You can’t screw this up.”

Hongbin let himself be fussed over because Hakyeon liked to pamper and please, kissing Hongbin softly all over his face just to make him blush and whine. Hongbin tries to get away but Hakyeon is much stronger than him, taking his hands and lacing them together before sitting on him, Hongbin now laying on the couch. Hakyeon like this should scare him, a crossroads demon on top of him and holding him down, but Hongbin can only see Hakyeon and his wings, closing in on them and shielding them both from the world. He feels safe, Hakyeon’s eyes glowing beautifully.

Hakyeon pulls his wings in, shifting them away but his eyes glow yellow before he lets go of Hongbin’s hands, cupping his face and kissing him repetitively, close mouthed and easy. His hands are warm, just like they were when they first met and Hongbin wraps his arms around Hakyeon’s waist to pull him flush against him, his body comforting. Hakyeon’s eyes fade back to brown, beautiful and dark and Hongbin thinks him breathtaking.

“What are we doing?” Hongbin whispers as Hakyeon strokes his cheeks, staring into his eyes. He just hums and they don’t talk about it. They don’t have to talk about it.

“I have a very big soft spot for you,” Hakyeon whispers against his lips and Hongbin smiles, rolling his eyes. That isn’t what he wanted but it makes him smile as Hakyeon kisses his cheeks, his jaw, his neck before coming back up, licking into Hongbin’s mouth with vigour, smiling to himself when Hongbin exhales heavily after they break apart.

“You’ll get him back,” Hakyeon says quietly. He rubs their noses together before kissing Hongbin’s nose, making the hunter scrunch his face up. “Trust yourself. I trust you.”

 

***

 

The apartment he shares with his brother has never looked this intimidating but Sanghyuk is standing on the street alone, blinking up at it like he's never seen it before. In just a few months, this place turned from a home into a stranger and the only familiarity he has with this sidewalk is his breakdown after Hongbin screamed at him. Taekwoon came for him that night and took him in and now, Sanghyuk is nervous, cracking his knuckles to stall time. He supposes he deserves it; he can't call this place home anymore because he threw it away along with Hongbin but his brother wants him back and Sanghyuk needs to come back to the home that he has in Hongbin, whenever that home is.

But something is wrong. Horribly wrong. It's so wrong it makes Sanghyuk's skin crawl before he even gets to the floor he needs to be on. The elevator has no issue but Sanghyuk feels the force that is demonic in all nature shoving him against the wall, choking him and spilling out of his eyes. He steps out and almost throws up, breaking into a hot and cold sweat and he knows for a fact that it is coming from the apartment. He's never felt like this before and he truly hopes he can't tie this to Hongbin directly. One of the wards must have failed. This is the first time in months that his runes have hurt him this bad.

He doesn't knock, he's never had to before, and when he steps inside, his head feels like it's going to explode. How the fuck has Hongbin been living in this? His runes are screaming at him, begging him to run, igniting his blood and making his head hot. Every piece of ink on his body tells him danger but Hongbin is raising from the couch to meet him with a smile and Sanghyuk can't even touch him because of how hard his head is pounding. If Hongbin touches him, Sanghyuk’s eyes are going to burst right out of his skull.

Sanghyuk pulls his gun that’s packed with silver and salt blessed bullets because it's the only thing he can do. He can't speak because his tongue feels like lead in his mouth, swelled up and almost choking him when he swallows. Hongbin stands in shock, his hands raised and he almost looks like the brother Sanghyuk used to know but his expression morphs into such an immense sadness in a split second before he's begging Sanghyuk to put the gun down.

"I'll explain everything," Hongbin says and oh, the fucking _irony._ Sanghyuk will listen but Hongbin wouldn't when he had an issue? He's not an angry person and he definitely doesn’t blame Hongbin but now, it's not just the demonic energy that's clouding his head. He's never genuinely been angry or upset with Hongbin but the floodgates have opened and Sanghyuk doesn't lower his gun even when he's screaming at Hongbin.

"A fucking demon! Are you joking, Hongbin?" he spits and the venom in his throat burns him. Hongbin is inching closer but one shift from his gun sends him three feet back in fear. Sanghyuk won't shoot him but he will threaten it. "You can sport a demon but I talk to one vampire and you throw me out?!"

Hongbin's hands are shaking but he's angry too, livid almost. Before he can even start to argue, there's a figure in front of him and all Sanghyuk sees is a figure of pure darkness with beady red eyes and he shoots until he has no bullets left, his eyes screwed shut as the gunshots scratch against his ears. He doesn’t know if he’s even made contact with whatever the fuck it is or Hongbin and he opens his eyes, squinting.

The figure rematerialises into a human body, the bullets lodged into the wall behind Hongbin, both the figure and Hongbin unharmed. It’s now a man, with ram horns and wings bigger than the span of this apartment, his eyes glowing with a faint amber instead of blood red. The red was nothing like Taekwoon’s and Sanghyuk shivers. His suit, nails, hair, everything is black aside from his shirt and his eyes flood black before he blinks, a pretty brown replacing them. Sanghyuk is so stuck with the situation that he can only stare at the man, _the demon,_ and blink in disbelief.

He grabs Sanghyuk's gun, flinging it across the room before Sanghyuk is shoved against the wall, held up by his throat. If he could, he would laugh because this is so much like his first meeting with Taekwoon but he’s busy being choked by a fucking demon. The demon’s nails are digging, digging, digging into his neck and he gasps, his vision clouding. He can see Hongbin holding the demon's arm, whispering to him and Sanghyuk is dropped into a heap, his neck pulsing with rushing blood from the small punctures. His head is heavy and hot, his eyes stinging.

"Please," Hongbin begs and the demon looks at him, his wings and horns disappearing into thin air and his expression fading from pure fury to concern, concern for Hongbin. Hongbin looks similar only his concern is aimed at Sanghyuk and the demon frowns and flashes out of sight before he's back and handing a roll of bandages to Hongbin.

"You need to explain this," Sanghyuk wheezes, his eyes heavy from fatigue and Hongbin just nods numbly, his eyes darting all over Sanghyuk's neck in fear. He isn’t the same brother he remembers and Sanghyuk’s stomach drops into an endless pit, making him want to throw up. "Hyung, you can't-"

"I will," Hongbin answers shortly, his voice catching. He kneels down in front of Sanghyuk, hands shaking and his eyes full of tears. "Hakyeon is sorry."

"Hakyeon," Sanghyuk repeats, glancing up at the demon who's eyes are boring into him. His eyes are normal but fierce, waves of _something_ coming off him and Sanghyuk shies away from him, scared. His eyes sting when he looks at him. "Is he your boyfriend?"

Hongbin laughs suddenly but it's hollow. Hakyeon blows a breath out through his nose before he disappears again to God knows where, leaving Hongbin to dress Sanghyuk's wounds. They’re not deep so he doesn’t have to bandage it., Sanghyuk’s hands coming up to stop him. He doesn’t want Hongbin to touch him right now, considering the reaction he had towards Hakyeon. 

Hongbin blinks heavily at him, keeping his tears and his hands to himself. "I would have... I didn't think this was how your neck would be scarred," Hongbin whispers, his eyes trained on Sanghyuk.

"Taekwoon doesn't feed from me," Sanghyuk replies quickly, coming off as snappy. He contains himself, trying not to get worked up but he's not completely in the right at the moment so he needs to shut up. But then again, Hongbin isn’t either and for him to be accusing Taekwoon of _feeding_ from Sanghyuk when his demon boyfriend just attempted to strangle him to protect Hongbin. He’s still angry at Hongbin but Hongbin is willing to listen to him this time so he can’t pass that up. 

"You've asked?" Hongbin is trying for casual but the lift in his tone makes him sound worried. His touch is soft against Sanghyuk’s neck, making him shiver. He expected a burn or a shock but it’s just Hongbin’s fingers, pressing lightly.

"No." Sanghyuk sits up and they both move to the couch, facing each other even if it hurts. Hongbin looks like he wants to be anywhere but here and Sanghyuk can relate but they both wanted to meet up for a reason and they need to talk. Hongbin asked for this and Sanghyuk is forcing himself to get through it. "You first. Who the fuck was that?"

Hongbin audibly swallows, scratching his nose. He's looking everywhere aside from Sanghyuk until he finally gets over himself and stares at his brother, his hands picking at the couch's threads. "Hakyeon is... a demon. That I summoned."

"Can you not get rid of him?" Sanghyuk pales suddenly, his eyes impossibly wide. "Did you- Did you sell your soul?"

"I tried to," Hongbin admits and to his credit, he doesn't look proud of that. "I thought that vamp-" He shakes his head, glancing up at Sanghyuk when he whispers, "Taekwoon." Sanghyuk nods, prompting him. "I thought Taekwoon had somehow glamoured you. He's a stronger vampire, I could sense it once I remembered. More powerful than a regular one."

"He says there's a hierarchy." Sanghyuk waves his hand in the air, dismissive. "But he says he doesn't care enough because he's not a part of a clan. So he can’t really explain it that well.”

"Right." Hongbin clears his throat awkwardly, averting his eyes nervously. His eyes are wide, looking like he’s not quite present in his body but he blinks again, shaking his head. "Well, I summoned Hakyeon to... To kill _him._ But he refused."

"Demon business?" 

"Some kind of it.” Even now, Hongbin scoffs, but disappointed at himself or Hakyeon, Sanghyuk doesn’t know. “He can't interfere with vampire or any other monsters, really. So he turned it down but I asked him to keep an eye on you and him for my sake." He fidgets with his fingers, glancing up at Sanghyuk a few times. "As upset as I was, I couldn't bare the thought of you getting hurt. Even after everything I said to you."

Sanghyuk knew that. As bad as it sounds, he had a feeling Hongbin would do something like that even if Sanghyuk is his brother but he had never wanted to hurt him. He had tried to kill Taekwoon but it hadn’t worked out. Sanghyuk knows why but he can’t be angry for it, really. He just needs Hongbin to explain _everything._ "And Hakyeon? Why is he still around? And why did he attack me?"

"You did have a gun," Hongbin suggests with a small laugh but it’s weak. They’re not back to joking around and having fun just yet. "Hakyeon- He, uh... He's different?"

"Tread carefully," Sanghyuk warns, squinting at him. That's exactly what Sanghyuk said about Taekwoon and it landed him on his ass in the streets with Hongbin screaming curses at him. Hongbin better have a damn good reason for this or he’s going to punch him _hard._

Hongbin looks uncomfortable even talking about this judging by how he won’t stop shifting around but he’s trying his damn hardest. "But Hakyeon, he... I can't explain it but I guess something in him flipped on because now he kind of won't leave me alone. And that’s not normal for demons. I should be dead.”

"Could always kill him," Sanghyuk offers but Hongbin makes a face, equal parts uncomfortable and annoyed at what Sanghyuk just insinuated. Sanghyuk can relate because Hongbin did that earlier so _suck it up, Hongbin!_

"He's..." Now his ears turn pink and he groans, covering his face with his hands. Sanghyuk has only ever seen that reaction once from him and it was after Chansik kissed him on a drunk dare, Hongbin complaining to himself for the whole night afterwards about how embarrassing it was. "It's all fucked up so just- Whatever, okay? I'm fucking a demon."

"You fucked him?!" Sanghyuk yells and the walls shake suddenly. He knows that wasn't from his voice and Hakyeon is standing in the living room, his wings and horns disappearing a lot more easily this time. His eyes are completely black when he stares at Sanghyuk though, menacing and intimidating.

"Don't worry," Hongbin says to Hakyeon, staring up at him and Sanghyuk frowns at the admiration in his eyes. Hakyeon cracks his neck in response but sits down on the floor, legs crossed and back straight.

"Han Sanghyuk." He offers his hand to Sanghyuk and when they shake, Sanghyuk shivers as the cold rushes all over his body, making him physically recoil and snatch his hand back. "Nice to meet you."

"I can't say the same," Sanghyuk replies as he pulls himself in. Hakyeon shrugs, understanding. "But I guess you've been taking care of my brother?" Even saying that aloud leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.

"In some ways." Hakyeon's voice is pure velvet, slipping across every inch of Sanghyuk's body. "He's an adult. He more so ignores me until either of us give in." He flicks his wrist out, checking a way too expensive watch. "Actually, I should leave. Lovely to meet you." He stands quickly, kisses Hongbin's forehead just to make him squirm and he's gone before Hongbin can smack him, a dark feather floating down onto Sanghyuk’s lap. It’s _massive_ and when he picks it up to peer at it, Hongbin smiles softly at him.

Sanghyuk touches his neck when he hands the feather to Hongbin and his brother rushes to apologise but he shakes his head, sighing heavily. “If you hate Taekwoon for being a vampire, you’re being a little bit hypocritical,” he says simply and Hongbin sniffs, his eyes puffy and tired.

“I’m stupid,” Hongbin admits, rolling his eyes. That’s probably the first time he’s ever admitted something like that to Sanghyuk or anyone period and Sanghyuk smiles like an idiot. “But, I can’t stand the thought of you ending up like mom.” He grabs Sanghyuk’s hand, pleading with him almost. “You wouldn’t listen to me. What if one day he turns and you die because of it? What happens then?”

“You’re hanging out with a crossroads demon because you think Taekwoon is going to turn me?” Sanghyuk exclaims, completely baffled. “What is your logic? This isn’t my fault. You’re the one being ridiculous, now.”

Hongbin can’t help it and starts chuckling to himself before cackling, leaning back in the couch. Sanghyuk starts laughing too, trying to get Hongbin to come back to him but they just giggle like idiots, eventually running out of breath and just wheezing at each other, Hongbin ending up crying as he clenches his jaw, shaking his head. When they finally calm down, Hongbin just smoothes down Sanghyuk’s hair, smiling softly at him. “When did you grow up?” he murmurs, eyes searching all over Sanghyuk’s face.

“A long time ago.” He wrestles with Hongbin’s hand to get it away from him, scowling at him. “We’re both a little weird now so you can’t give me shit now, okay?”

Hongbin chuckles, picking at his nails with a sigh. “I know. I understand, and I’m sorry. I want to make this work and I want to trust you.” 

“Then you can,” Sanghyuk whispers, keeping him eyes down like Hongbin is. “I want to trust you too.” 

Hongbin nods, about to cry but he groans, trying to keep himself together and Sanghyuk laughs at him. They talk a little more and Hongbin ends up sending him off with some food that Hakyeon has made. It’s so much like what Taekwoon does for him that he starts laughing again, Hongbin giggling too but Sanghyuk doesn’t tell him why.

“Protect yourself,” Hongbin says quietly when Sanghyuk is in the hallway, staring at him. He meets his gaze, looking worried. “Please. I don’t want a vampire for a brother. And you know why.”

Sanghyuk understands what he means and keeps his thoughts to himself. Hongbin is worried about him and even though he refuses to meet Taekwoon, he did talk about him openly with Sanghyuk today. He realised how similar Taekwoon is to Hakyeon and that seemed to put him at ease pretty easily. He admitted he was wrong for the most part but it’s going to take him a little longer to work through his issues. He asked Sanghyuk to come home but respected his refusal. Sanghyuk is comfortable with where he’s living because it’s his way of growing up.

“Are we good?” he asks, cautious and Hongbin pulls him in for a hug. It’s tight, like Hongbin is trying to channel everything he’s feeling into this and it feels like family, making Sanghyuk squeeze him back just as hard, a smile on his face. It’s full of love, warm and protective and it’s Hongbin in a nutshell. Sanghyuk is so happy to have even just a fragment of this back again.

“We’re good,” Hongbin breathes, rubbing his back a few times before pulling away. “I’ll message you soon. Chansik misses you a lot.”

“What did you tell him?” Sanghyuk asks, shifting the containers of food in his arms. He hadn’t considered what Hongbin might have told the other hunters. He had a missed call from Chansik a few days ago but he didn’t end up calling him back to see. It’s obvious that he had tried to contact him but Sanghyuk didn’t think it would be too promising to talk to him.

“The truth.” Hongbin leans on the doorframe lazily, pathetically trying to come across as nonchalant. “Told him you ran away with a vampire. I think he understood because of that time he dated a damn werewolf.”

“One of Taekwoon’s friends is a werewolf. And he’s dating a human.”

“You’re not the only human he knows?” Hongbin asks, confused and Sanghyuk probably should have led with the fact that Taekwoon is best friends with a human and a werewolf, has been for years. He ends up talking to Hongbin for forty five more minutes about Jaehwan and Wonshik, how Taekwoon met them and how he and Taekwoon have been living together in Sanghyuk’s apartment. Hongbin is genuinely interested, thinking how Sanghyuk did about vampires and werewolves hating each other but he’s struck speechless by Sanghyuk’s monologue about Wonshik’s protectiveness and Taekwoon’s impassiveness to both of them at first before something broke and they’ve been inseparable. Some of their neighbours step past them because they’re stupidly at sitting in the hallway while they talk and didn't think to move back inside.

Sanghyuk leaves, Hongbin already texting him with stupid shit that he’s missed out of sending in the past few months, even sending a photo of him and Hakyeon in someone’s motorbike mirror for no reason and the next photo is Hakyeon staring at Hongbin like he’s just said the worst thing imaginable while Hongbin laughs, a mirror selfie. Sanghyuk shakes his head and he’s about to call Hongbin so he doesn’t have to text with one hand but he gets a text from Taekwoon that is just an address, followed by _This is my apartment. Come over._

He hears Wonshik cackling in the apartment when he steps out of the elevator and he doesn’t even knock because the door is opened in front of him, Taekwoon blinking at him before smiling brightly, beautiful and monochrome in his dark clothes. He reaches up and touches Sanghyuk’s cheek affectionately but glances down at the containers in his hands with a frown. “Someone else is cooking for you?” he mutters, suddenly annoyed and Sanghyuk laughs, stepping inside the apartment.

“Hongbin-hyung’s… friend?” Sanghyuk frowns, really unsure what to even call Hakyeon. “His friend makes him things. Like you do for me but I doubt it’s better than yours.”

“It’s not,” Taekwoon defends, pouting. He won’t look up from the containers and Sanghyuk thinks it’s so ridiculously cute that he puts the containers down and tips Taekwoon’s chin up, making him look at him. 

“I’m sure it’s not,” he smiles and Taekwoon flushes, ducking his head and stepping away, Sanghyuk grinning as he grabs his wrist, keeping him close. Taekwoon looks back up at him and angles Sanghyuk’s head so he can peer at his neck, eyes wide when he meets Sanghyuk’s again. Sanghyuk quickly shushes him, shaking his head softly. “It’s okay, I promise. I’ll explain it.”

Taekwoon takes a deep breath through his nose, nodding curtly. Jaehwan and Wonshik are in the living room, a little drunk and Jaehwan is stroking Wonshik’s cheeks, pecking him a few times while Wonshik giggles to himself, closing his eyes and grinning. They look so helplessly in love, not even bothering to acknowledge Sanghyuk past a glance before kissing each other again, wrapped up in each other’s embrace.

“How did it go?” Taekwoon asks, louder because they’re alone in the kitchen together. He leans back on the counter, tilting his head at Sanghyuk as he crosses his arms. 

Sanghyuk feels like he’s just come home even if this is the first time he’s been to Taekwoon’s apartment. Taekwoon gives him a place to belong, almost and Sanghyuk is stuck with the need to hold him, kiss him sweetly like Jaehwan is doing right now to Wonshik, whisper sweet nothings in his ears. He doesn’t even want to excuse it because he knows he can’t come up with one worthwhile. He just wants Taekwoon to make him feel safe, wants to make Taekwoon feel safe and belong too.

Sanghyuk mimics his movement, leaning against the countertop too. Their shoulders touch and Taekwoon leans his head on Sanghyuk’s shoulder, comfortable. “It went pretty well,” he confesses, trying to fight his grin. “Hyung is really trying. That, and he’s fucking a demon.”

Taekwoon shoots up, his eyes wide and yellow, unblinking as he stares at Sanghyuk. He squeezes Sanghyuk arm, almost making him bleed before Sanghyuk yelps, prying his hand from him but he’s protective. When he speaks, his fangs are out, glinting pearl white in the light. “He’s- He’s fucking a demon? Is that why your neck is-?”

Sanghyuk laughs in his face by accident. He’s never actually heard Taekwoon swear and it sounds so funny because of how serious his speech can come across. He smiles at Taekwoon who’s still looking like someone has insulted his entire family and cups his cheeks, cooing at him a little. “That’s what made him stop being an ass,” he says, stroking Taekwoon’s cheekbones. The vampire doesn’t look convinced but he looks into Sanghyuk’s eyes and nods once. “I’ll explain it all later, okay? But we’re okay and my neck is fine, it’s not even deep. We’re going to meet up again soon.”

Taekwoon nods again, smiling wryly at him. His eyes fade back to brown again, stunning and shining when they catch the light and Sanghyuk doesn’t try and fight the smile that creeps onto his lips. Taekwoon breaks away from him to spy the containers, checking what’s actually in them like it’s a radioactive substance. He turns the containers this way and that, squinting at the insides. “And he made this?” he asks suspiciously, fangs gone. Sanghyuk thinks he looks adorable.

He nods but Wonshik is in the entranceway, his face red but his skin unmarked. He looks between the two of them before smirking, more to himself than anything else. “Where’s your wine?” he smiles, like he knows everything between the two of them. He steps forward and actually greets Sanghyuk, shaking his hand firmly. “We’re celebrating. I’m employed.”

“You weren’t already?” Sanghyuk teases, earning an eye roll from Wonshik. As they settle in, Wonshik bragging about his new job as a teaching assistant in a university, Sanghyuk calms himself. Taekwoon is close to him, his legs crossed elegantly and he feels bad because Wonshik is clearly talking, answering a question that Sanghyuk asked, but he’s staring at Taekwoon, the fairy lights around his apartment making his skin glow a faint purple. Wonshik is back to Jaehwan, grinning and pecking each other senselessly, and Sanghyuk looks around to take in Taekwoon’s apartment.

A lot of it is bare and there’s no pictures or ornaments. There’s multiple bookshelves with Taekwoon’s favourite plays and poems, black in colour against the stark white of the walls. It’s baron but fits Taekwoon’s persona, simplistic, a little masculine and all together artistic. There were a few things on his fridge that Sanghyuk noted but other than that, most of the things in his apartment are black and white, clean and seemingly rich considering how emaculate it is and Taekwoon fits perfectly into it all, bringing it all together.

Though Taekwoon’s fridge is stocked up with blood from Jaehwan, he wants to hunt purely because he hasn’t in a while. Jaehwan and Wonshik leave soon after, all drunk smiles and wandering hands and even when Taekwoon comes back, he downs a blood bag just to be safe. The whites of his eyes threaten with blood but they’re not full like the last time, only shaded slightly. Sanghyuk sits down, one of Hakyeon’s meals in his hands and Taekwoon is at his bookshelf, shuffling through some of the plays and slipping the one that was on the coffee table back into its space. He’s only wearing a white long sleeved shirt, tucked in and his pants are fitting. Sanghyuk knew Taekwoon had long legs but like this, they’re even longer, high waisted and snug above his hips. He was wearing a coat before, the hem of it centimetres off brushing against the floor and he had still looked gorgeous so Sanghyuk had just given up.

He’s curious now because Taekwoon was just hunting. Does that make his fangs stay out longer, just like his eyes? They’re retractable but long, Sanghyuk knows. Half the length of his pinkie finger, Taekwoon’s small mouth housing straight up daggers, glinting menacingly. How would they be to kiss with, or even bite? They’re so long so surely it would be hard?

“Just curious,” Sanghyuk says because he is but he also likes to see Taekwoon flush pink from the new blood that’s inside him. He’s not looking at him which makes Sanghyuk smile deviously to himself. “Can you kiss with your fangs?”

Taekwoon turns, flushes pink and it almost matches the red swimming in the edges of his eyes as he looks around, anywhere but Sanghyuk. He’s fiddling with the book in his hand, a Greek play. “It… It’s difficult?” He looks wildly uncomfortable, opening and closing his mouth like he’s imagining the feel of his fangs. “They retract but it’s very painful if I force them. Some vampires can retract them without pain but… Mine can just return to regular length but I cannot get them all the way back into my gums.”

Sanghyuk watches as he flexes his jaw open, his mouth small but he clicks his teeth together, showing that his fangs are just a little longer than his normal teeth but still normal. They just look like Wonshik’s, sharper but still human. “When they’re completely out,” he says, relaxing his face, “they’re longer.”

“Wicked,” Sanghyuk says just because he can and Taekwoon is still flushing, glaring a little at him. He knows Taekwoon is stoic most of the time but he’s easily embarrassed, even just a small compliment to his fangs of all things making him tint a little pink. “So you’ve never tried kissing before?”

“I have,” Taekwoon replies, oddly defensive, making Sanghyuk raise his eyebrows. “With them completely out, it’s more difficult but they’re just regular teeth at their normal length. I can’t walk around with them completely out. I’d be cut up.”

Sanghyuk stands up, his container of food left abandoned and steps closer to Taekwoon, just to have Taekwoon back into a wall, his eyes slowly regaining their natural brown. Blood still threatens his whites but the brown is pleasant to look into, beautiful and wondrous. “Then right now, it’d be okay?”

“I suppose,” Taekwoon whispers, knowing what’s coming just from his tone but Sanghyuk knows he can’t see the future like some vampires. Taekwoon can control minds but Sanghyuk knows in his gut that this is his decision, wholly his. Taekwoon isn’t in his head, controlling him or trashing his mind; Sanghyuk knows exactly what he’s doing, what he’s been wanting to do for so long.

“Are you sure?” Taekwoon asks softly, looking up at Sanghyuk and his eyes are almost cleared out completely, sparkling. He truly is stunning, the moonlight from the windows catches his cheekbones and bathing him in a glow and Sanghyuk doesn’t have to be under any spell to recognise that he’s completely and uttered attracted to Taekwoon. Everything about him is captivating, making Sanghyuk’s head spin just from the idea of him.

“If you are then I am,” Sanghyuk whispers and Taekwoon’s long fingers lace behind his head softly, finally closing the distance between them in a rare act of boldness. He's glad it was Taekwoon to decide it.

Kissing Taekwoon isn’t anything different to a regular person but just the fact that it’s Taekwoon, the man -- _vampire_ \-- who saved him all those months ago, who listens to him when he talks and doesn’t treat him like a child, someone who Sanghyuk finds utterly fascinating, that is what makes it special. He knows Taekwoon, knows how he ticks and just from pressing their lips together, Sanghyuk learns him all over again, falls for him all over again.

His hands are on Taekwoon’s hips and the vampire opens his mouth, letting Sanghyuk in and drinking in his sighs. His fingers thread through Sanghyuk’s hair, clenching tightly to pull him impossibly closer as Sanghyuk licks into his mouth, exploring and coaxing the sweetest noises from Taekwoon. The threat of Taekwoon’s fangs are definitely there but he won’t hurt him. Sanghyuk knows Taekwoon would never hurt him, would never dare.

The two of them break away, only for Taekwoon to grip Sanghyuk’s face and kiss him again feverishly, his fingers sliding back into his hair and pulling _hard_ before soothing down his neck. That bares Sanghyuk’s neck for him but Taekwoon only smiles, the irony of it not lost to both of them. He licks his lips, shyly looking into Sanghyuk’s eyes as he wraps his arms around Sanghyuk’s shoulders, comfortably, Sanghyuk’s hands firm on his hips. He kisses Taekwoon again, all over his jaw and biting just below his pulse point to rip a high pitched moan from him, sounding like a beautiful harmony to Sanghyuk. Taekwoon’s hands are back in his hair and Sanghyuk wraps his arms around his waist, pulling him closer as he works on his neck. The marks he leaves won’t last because Taekwoon will heal but the satisfaction of a mark blossoming on the vampire’s neck before it’s gone makes him smirk. Taekwoon could mark him, bruise him, anything and it would paint his skin for days. Sanghyuk wants it.

“So you like biting,” Taekwoon pants before Sanghyuk kisses him again, one hand up his back to make him shiver at the touch. Taekwoon arches into him, his face screwed up a little before he sighs, content.

“Not as much as you,” Sanghyuk whispers against his lips, which are kiss swollen and plump. Taekwoon glares, his arms loosely around Sanghyuk’s shoulders and he plays with whatever thread is loose on the seam, distracting himself. Sanghyuk presses closer to him, their chests touching and Taekwoon inhales sharply, staring intently into his eyes.

“You know what I could do,” he says, a little soft and Sanghyuk realises he’s not playing along with the teasing. He’s actually worried, looking away from Sanghyuk’s eyes and trying to duck his head. Taekwoon has always been easy to embarrass but he’s never been this nervous, this rattled.

“I do,” Sanghyuk says, catching Taekwoon’s eyes before he takes his face in his hands, Taekwoon’s dropping to his waist. “You won’t hurt me, Taekwoon. I know you won’t. If I don’t want something, I will tell you. But you have to tell me too, okay?”

Taekwoon looks surprised at that, eyes wide and he tries to duck his head only to have Sanghyuk lift his chin with his finger and kiss him softly. Taekwoon’s hands screw up into fists around Sanghyuk’s shirt, pulling it taunt at his hips. It’s comforting for the both of them, Sanghyuk kissing him repetitively, small pecks and nothing more.

“Are we good?” Sanghyuk whispers, stroking Taekwoon’s cheekbone, leaning his forehead against his. The vampire may be hundreds of years old but still shy with something so simple as kissing. Sanghyuk supposes that Taekwoon may not used to it but he’s definitely experienced, Sanghyuk rubbing their noses together as they both smile like fools at each other.

“We’re good,” Taekwoon replies and it’s so quiet, just meant for the two of them to hear. Sanghyuk trusts Taekwoon and now, Taekwoon trusts himself. His heart is fluttering and Taekwoon reaches up, his fingers pressing against Sanghyuk’ pulse. Sanghyuk lifts him up, Taekwoon letting out a yelp as he clutches onto his shoulders, wrapping his legs around Sanghyuk’s waist as he grins up at him.

They kiss on Taekwoon’s bed until they simply can’t, Taekwoon’s lips puffy and swollen and Sanghyuk matching him prettily. Soon, they’re just staring at each other, Sanghyuk hovering above Taekwoon and playing with his hair, kissing his cheeks and forehead. Taekwoon’s eyes have cleared and they’re in complete darkness but his legs wrap around Sanghyuk’s waist again, pulling him on top of Sanghyuk so they can just lean on other, sharing kisses until Taekwoon literally passes out, the dawn too close. Sanghyuk tucks both of them in, kissing Taekwoon twice on his shoulder before cuddling into him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello... i hope that this is ok. a quick side note to explain myself and the relationships in this fic.
> 
> i didn't want to make the getting together of chabin and taekhyuk a super big thing if you understand me? it's obvious that sanghyuk likes taekwoon and that taekwoon has had some kind of feelings in return for him since the start. they already trust each other a lot so them getting together i wanted it to be natural or like... a little clumsy but safe so i hope that my intention got through. it was the same with chabin. hongbin... it's harder to explain with him and i hope that none of you think that this is forced or that hakyeon is just toying with him or something like that.
> 
> hongbin after sanghyuk left was upset but it was more his own rage at himself rather than sanghyuk. he was so hurt that he threw sanghyuk out but was too stubborn to admit his wrongs. hakyeon was more his voice of reason, his experience helping hongbin to come back to himself, to something familiar like someone caring for him which is what hakyeon is. he's the one who encouraged hongbin to actually try with sanghyuk and be the one to reach out considering he knows that taekwoon and sanghyuk are safe with each other -- and that hongbin has nothing to worry about. i wanted hakyeon to be that sort of guidance for hongbin, even if he isn't human. hongbin trusts him because hakyeon knows how things work and because of his hunter history, hakyeon is all too familiar with people like him and hongbin as a hunter, so it's a bit more personal experience for hakyeon rather than random advice he decided to give hongbin. i'm sort of rambling at this point but i hope that you understand as a reader what my intentions were and i hope that it showed in this chapter about how i wanted to tackle their relationships.
> 
> once again thank you all so much for reading (this sounds like this is ending but it's far from over lol) and leaving comments and showing support. :)
> 
> \-- snakebait.


	8. chapter eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey yall i got a new computer and im abt to start uni literally tomorrow so if i suddenly drop off the face of the earth then u know why but i've already started chapter nine so hopefully i won't fuck my own shit up :)
> 
> also have some luck and chabin bc like. lol? ya !

Sanghyuk wakes up to Taekwoon kissing his shoulders. 

Halfway through the day, Sanghyuk wrestled himself out of Taekwoon’s hold to take off his shirt because he usually sleeps without one but with Taekwoon sleeping in his bed as of late, he thought he’d avoid the awkwardness of Taekwoon snuggling into his neck and making him flush especially if he doesn’t have a shirt on.

But Taekwoon doesn’t seem to mind at all and Sanghyuk wakes up to him peppering him with kisses, across his shoulders and on top, over his neck too. When he rolls over, Taekwoon kisses him firmly, smiling when Sanghyuk cups his face. It’s disgustingly domestic but so horribly normal that Sanghyuk is confused as to how the two of them go this far without being like this together. Just looking at Taekwoon is making his heart beat faster, his nerves tingling, singing for only him. His heart is a song only Taekwoon knows the words to and Sanghyuk isn’t afraid of that; he loves it.

“Good evening,” Sanghyuk whispers, knowing it’s probably around eight o’clock, Taekwoon being wide awake is an indication of it. He looks pretty in the lighting of the bedside lamp. “Feeling good?”

“I am,” Taekwoon smiles, kissing him again. He licks along the seam of Sanghyuk’s lips until he’s allowed in, humming and tangling with Sanghyuk’s tongue. He pulls away, Sanghyuk red in the face and kisses along his jaw, only interrupted by his own smile. Sanghyuk inhales sharply, Taekwoon’s fingers dancing along his ribs and he smiles when he comes back in, kissing him once. “I have wanted to do that for some time.”

“You should have,” Sanghyuk whispers, shivering when Taekwoon’s fingers shift back over his bare chest. “Sorry, I got really warm while we were asleep. I think your body temperature spiked.”

“Possibly,” Taekwoon whispers back, right in his ear before kissing the shell of it, nibbling along Sanghyuk’s jaw just because he can. There’s no threat of his fangs this time and Sanghyuk lets out a tiny groan when Taekwoon’s tongue laps over the little bites, soothing his skin. Sanghyuk arches slightly just to jostle him and flips them over, getting his revenge all over Taekwoon’s throat. The vampire whines when he doesn’t get kissed properly so Sanghyuk has to to shut him up, Taekwoon’s arms linking around his neck to keep him close and against his body. 

“We need to get up,” Sanghyuk mumbles against Taekwoon’s lips, humming when Taekwoon licks into his mouth. He pulls away, kissing Taekwoon quickly, closed mouthed. He starts whining again but Sanghyuk manages to extract himself from Taekwoon’s limbs without any strong resistance.

“Do I have to?” Taekwoon mutters as he trudges behind Sanghyuk, annoyed and pouty. Sanghyuk ignores him for the time being (he has to eat) and Taekwoon needs to get over it but when he’s eating, he’s on the couch with Taekwoon behind him who will not stop kissing his neck and shoulders because Sanghyuk still hasn’t put on a shirt. His own fault, really. His tattoos are everywhere, all over his shoulders, back, arms and chest and Taekwoon is kissing along the runes that ward against angels on the tops of his shoulders, taking extra care on certain ones. Sanghyuk winces when he bites down, glaring at him but Taekwoon’s eyes glow yellow in response, alight with mischief.

“Which ones ward against vampires?” he mumbles into Sanghyuk’s skin.

Sanghyuk leans back into him, tracing along his sternum. “There and on the insides of my arms.” He puts his arms on display and Taekwoon drags his fingers across the ink, his face tucked into Sanghyuk’s shoulder, making the ink tingle. He could fall asleep like this but Taekwoon nips under his ear, making him gasp quietly, tilting his head away but that just gives Taekwoon more of an advantage to bite him.

“Okay,” Sanghyuk whines when Taekwoon nips his bottom lip, “we could do this all day, but I do have to put on a shirt.”

“Why?” Taekwoon whispers, against Sanghyuk’s lips. “You don't _have_ to.”

“I do.” He shifts, only to make Taekwoon stop kissing him because he really can’t think straight with Taekwoon’s lips on his, his long fingers stroking his tattoos and enighting fire into the ink, tracing lightning through his veins. He needs to mull over what he spoke about with Hongbin and he needs to talk to Taekwoon about how far his vampiric powers can affect him because he’s considering going back to hunting and he wants to do it relatively soon. He does just that, when Taekwoon is in his lap, running his hands up and down Sanghyuk’s still bare shoulders in attempts to keep his attention on him only.

Taekwoon tilts his head at the question, his lips parted slightly. “It mostly protects you. My scent is everywhere, in this apartment and on you. It attracts vampires but wards them off when they get too close.” He rests his hands on Sanghyuk’s cheeks, kissing his nose. “It lets other vampires know that you are mine, in a way.”

“Yours?” Sanghyuk echoes, laughing. He likes the sound of that. “Like Jaehwan-hyung with Wonshik-hyung’s scent?”

Taekwoon nods, lacing his fingers through Sanghyuk’s. “So, you are thinking about returning to hunting?” he asks softly, resting his head against his. “It would be back to normal but… Would you be going back to it with Hongbin?”

Sanghyuk shrugs, looking down. He’s been thinking about it mostly because he misses it and he needs to get back to what was normal when him and Hongbin were still close. He wants him back and if going back to hunting with him will work, he wants to try. Even with Chansik would be a good start. “It’s our normal, so I want to get back to it. Also, his demon? It was so weird to meet him.”

Taekwoon hums, tilting Sanghyuk’s head to look at the small punctures on his neck from Hakyeon’s claws. He swipes his thumbs over the wounds, pursing his lips. “He should not have touched you,” Taekwoon mumbles. Sanghyuk smiles him, catching his gaze again. He’s jealous, protective even if this is all very new to them both but Sanghyuk finds it cute.

Taekwoon is cute but he’s not being helpful when he’s attacking Sanghyuk’s neck while he’s on the phone to his brother. Sanghyuk has to hold a finger to his lips, giving him a look of warning and Taekwoon shrinks, still looking adorable with wide eyes and licks Sanghyuk’s finger in defiance.

“Chansik-hyung could come too, yeah,” Sanghyuk answers Hongbin, frowning at Taekwoon’s choice of action. He does not need to think further on that. “Would you… Does Hakyeon want to come?”

_“I highly doubt Hakyeon wants to come along to a hunt,”_ Hongbin laughs. They’re both desperately trying for normal and for a little bit, Sanghyuk thinks it’s working. _“Like your vampire- Taekwoon. Sorry.”_

Sanghyuk hums, stroking Taekwoon’s cheek fondly. Taekwoon practically purrs and melts into the touch, his eyes fluttering closed. “I haven’t seen Chansik-hyung in a while, though. We could go out for drinks.”

_“Yeah. I’ll let him know. But I need to go to bed.”_ He laughs and it makes Sanghyuk’s nerves settle. _“You should sleep soon, too. Actually, do you sleep during the day now?”_

He’s trying his hardest to be civil and Sanghyuk appreciates the attempt. “Yeah, now I do. Taekwoon can be awake during the day, though. I didn’t know that about vampires.”

Hongbin whistles a long note and Taekwoon tucks his face into Sanghyuk’s neck, making himself comfortable with little fleeting kisses. _“I didn’t know that either. Is it because he’s an older vampire? Or does that work differently?”_

Sanghyuk gets into the nitty gritty of vampire information that Taekwoon has told him, sometimes Taekwoon correcting him on certain facts, until Hongbin is almost falling asleep and Sanghyuk can hear Hakyeon’s voice softly whispering to him. They bid each other goodnight and Taekwoon puts Sanghyuk’s phone on the coffee table before kissing him firmly, smiling against his lips.

“You’ll hunt again?” he whispers.

Sanghyuk hums, closing his eyes as they share simple kisses for a while. It’s relaxing even when Taekwoon’s legs cramp up and he slumps into the armrest of the couch, Sanghyuk snuggling into him. He’s still not wearing a shirt but it doesn’t matter now. Taekwoon finds his tattoos way too interesting to stop looking at them, touching them, kissing them. 

“I hope Hongbin comes back to you,” Taekwoon whispers into the silence of the apartment, Sanghyuk almost asleep but awake now at the sound of Taekwoon’s airy voice.

“I hope he does too,” he whispers back. Taekwoon snuggles into him, kissing him softly. It feels like home.

 

***

 

Hongbin yawns, flicking his cigarette so the ash filters off the burning end. Hakyeon is next to him, climbing onto the balcony railing, balancing on edge, his expensive shoes shining in the early dawn. They’re awake because Hongbin just came back from a hunt with Sanghyuk and Chansik, his hands shaking and he needed a cigarette as soon as he walked in. Hakyeon is a plus side to calming him down, his eyes warm and his presence familiar.

Hakyeon had sat with him outside just to calm him, lighting his cigarette with a flame at the tip of his finger. Now, his wings are stretched out completely, shifting on his back and he looks stunning, the sunlight making his hair glow and his skin looks golden and beautiful, smooth and Hongbin longs to touch him.

Hakyeon drops down onto the small ledge, on the other side on the balcony, peering at Hongbin quizzically as he holds onto the railing. Hongbin takes a drag, blowing it to the side to prevent it from getting into Hakyeon’s eyes or mouth.

“Tell me what happened,” he whispers and Hongbin swallows, ducking his head down.

The hunt went extremely well. Chansik and all his glory had been there to crack some jokes and save the two brothers when they got into trouble which wasn’t that often. Hongbin had been calm and it was an easy hunt, over as soon as it began and afterwards, they had gone out for drinks. Chansik had left early, Jinyoung picking him up and Sanghyuk had left soon after that, Taekwoon standing outside the bar and he gave a small wave to Hongbin. He had returned it, giving a polite duck of his head and Taekwoon had smiled, civil and accepting.

Letting go of his rage had been very hard. Hakyeon had played a huge part in that because now Hongbin can talk about Taekwoon without wanting to throw up. He can talk to Sanghyuk about him and has attempted to add some of the information to the journal about demons and vampires. He’s doing okay, Hakyeon making him more comfortable with any and all monsters for the time being. He’s even considered meeting up with Taekwoon and Sanghyuk just for a night to talk and whatnot. He’s not ready and he’s really not sure when he will be but just thinking about the possibility is an improvement.

Hakyeon tips his chin up and their eyes meet, gold against brown. He smiles softly, kissing Hongbin’s forehead and a wave of calm washes over him, making him sigh dreamily. “It wasn’t a failure, though,” he says and Hongbin shrugs, kind of in agreement. “It will get better over time.”

“I know,” Hongbin sighs, looking away. “It’s just strange. I want to see Taekwoon soon, though. Maybe it will help if I speak to him directly.”

Hakyeon hums, moving away so he can jump back over the railing and his arms circle around Hongbin’s waist, his face tucked into his shoulder. “It will be okay. Sanghyuk mentioned two others in Taekwoon’s life, the werewolf and the human. You can be open minded about those two.”

“A vampire with a human friend and a werewolf.” Hongbin shakes his head, stuffing out his cigarette. Normally, he would hate to be touched like this, hate the feeling of someone else so close to him, kissing his neck and his cheek where he can reach but Hongbin shivers, smiling softly over his shoulder as Hakyeon plants a kiss on the side of his mouth. “It’s weird, is it not?”

“In a way,” Hakyeon replies against his skin. “But I think it is nice. Vampires and werewolves have never gotten along in history but Taekwoon and Wonshik, I believe his name is, are as close as brothers. They have broken years of history that I know of in just a few days.”

“I sometimes forget that you watched them,” Hongbin mutters, more to himself than anything else. Hakyeon is warm against his back and he eases into him, comforted and calmed. Hakyeon’s touch makes him relaxed and electrified at the same time “Do you want dinner?”

“You ask as if you can cook.” Hakyeon’s tone is teasing, kissing his jaw just to make Hongbin cringe. He turns into his arms and wraps his arms around Hakyeon’s neck, kissing him firmly to shut him up.

“We can go shopping and then you can decide what to feed me,” he says, bratty and annoying but Hakyeon just rolls his eyes, slipping away from him to pull Hongbin’s hand and lead him inside, away from the cold.

Grocery shopping with a crossroads demon should be unheard of, wrong and downright stupid but Hakyeon’s hand is guiding the shopping cart that Hongbin is leaning on and eventually, he’s inside the trolley, Hakyeon placing random vegetables and ingredients for dumplings into his lap. He puts the cold meat on Hongbin’s crotch and he curses, shifting uncomfortably and smacks Hakyeon in the chest, flushing when the demon laughs beautifully. Hakyeon makes his heart speed up and Hongbin hates that he likes it.

They get some of Hongbin’s favourite ice cream (chocolate fudge brownie Ben and Jerrys) purely because he wants it and Hakyeon comments that he’s never had it. He can eat human food if he wants to but it has no purpose to him. He can taste it but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter whether he eats or not but he can cook surprisingly well for someone that doesn’t need to eat.

Hakyeon cooks him pork dumplings, the two of them sitting down to eat and Hongbin ends up between Hakyeon’s legs on the couch, the ice cream in his hand. They’re sharing a spoon mostly because Hongbin is eating majority of the desert. He manages to give Hakyeon some of the brownie and it turns out that he really likes it. Hongbin learns that Hakyeon is good at baking too, or so he says and he also makes candles which Hongbin will have to keep in mind, telling Hakyeon that he can use the candles when he sends him back to hell.

“No way are you getting rid of me,” Hakyeon whispers into his ear, making him shiver. Hongbin puts the ice cream on the coffee table, letting Hakyeon kiss him dizzy when he turns around. It’s nice, with Hakyeon kissing him softly, his hands cupping Hongbin’s cheeks. So much has happened recently but Hakyeon is still constant, unchanging and stunning beneath his hands, warm in his grasp. Hongbin pulls away so he can yawn and Hakyeon giggles at him, kissing down his jaw and nipping when he wants, soothing the little pinches of pain with his tongue.

“Can we…” Hongbin groans when Hakyeon sucks at his neck, shuddering in his grasp. “I just- Can we just be for tonight…?” He swallows, Hakyeon’s teeth worrying at the skin of his neck.

The demon pulls back slowly, cupping Hongbin’s face and pressing their foreheads together. “Of course we can,” he whispers against his lips, his touch electric and satisfying. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“It’s not that,” Hongbin answers quickly, hoping that Hakyeon isn’t thinking otherwise. “I do, but…” For right now, Hongbin wants nothing more than to sleep with Hakyeon cuddled around him, keeping him warm and close, his back to his chest. Hongbin just wants to sleep next to him, comforted by him and protected, just the two of them existing together. “I just want to sleep next to you. Will you stay?”

Hakyeon’s smile is soft and gorgeous, Hongbin’s heart speeding up. “Have I ever left you since I came here?”

Hongbin averts his eyes, embarrassed, but Hakyeon is right. He’s never hurt Hongbin, left him without letting him know where he was going. Hakyeon comes to him when Hongbin calls, when Hongbin needs someone the most. He was the one who brought Hongbin back to himself once Sanghyuk disappeared and even though it was completely his fault for kicking his brother out, Hakyeon had never held it against him, had never used it against him. Hakyeon took care of him even when Hongbin was cursing him out, screaming at him to leave him alone. It was pity, the need to save him and now it’s some kind of love. Hakyeon, a demon and Hongbin, a monster hunter, sharing a love between each other, only for the two of them.

With Hongbin tucked into Hakyeon’s side, the demon’s wings curled around both of them, he feels that love. It’s simple and beautiful, something that isn’t meant to be but needs to exist for the sake of them both. Hakyeon is an immortal demon and it scares Hongbin shitless sometimes that he’s been alive since the beginning of everything and he will still be alive when Hongbin is long gone but right now, Hakyeon is with Hongbin, is choosing to be with Hongbin for as long as they both choose. The brush of Hakyeon’s wings should feel dirty, taboo, but it only makes Hongbin’s heart calm, beating steadily to the thrum of Hakyeon’s under his ear.

“Sleep,” Hakyeon whispers and Hongbin leans up to kiss his jaw softly, snuggling into him. Hakyeon chuckles, his chest solid and warm and Hongbin falls asleep to his fingers in his hair, his wings keeping them warm and secure.

 

***

 

Hongbin is surprised to wake up to Hakyeon next to him.

He figured he would leave halfway through the night but Hakyeon’s wings are around him along with his arms tight around Hongbin’s stomach. He’s able to move and slip away, Hakyeon dead asleep and his wings twitch a few times before they completely disappear. He’s not in a suit like he was last night, just in one of Hongbin’s shirts and sweatpants and he still looks beautiful, his hair fanning out on the pillow.

When he’s put his glasses on (he really should wear them more often but he _doesn’t)_ and is sipping his coffee, reading the newspaper like an old man, Hakyeon groans from the bedroom. Hongbin normally ignore it but Hakyeon _whimpers_ and everything in his brain shuts off into panic. He runs into the bedroom, crawling across the bed as Hakyeon tries to struggle onto his arms but falls, groaning again.

“What’s wrong?” Hongbin asks softly, checking Hakyeon for any wounds in his state of worry. “What’s wrong, Hakyeon? Tell me, baby.”

Hakyeon takes a deep breath, laying back down with the help of Hongbin and his wings burst from his back, long and beautiful. They stretch out, knocking off any of the random shit that’s on Hongbin’s bedside tables, Hakyeon wincing. “It’s okay,” he manages, grunting when he attempts to curl his wings in. “They’re cramped, that’s all. My shoulders just- _fuck.”_ He spits the curse when Hongbin’s hand slips under his body to rubs at the taunt muscles at the base of his shoulders. “Okay. It’s- ow, _Hongbin,_ fuck.”

“Put them in and roll over,” Hongbin laughs and he sits on Hakyeon’s lower back, most of his weight on his own legs so he doesn’t hurt him further. “I would figure that demons couldn’t react in this way.”

Hakyeon hums, inhaling sharply when Hongbin’s fingers press into where Hakyeon’s wings sprout from. “It’s only my wings that cause me trouble. Our wings have to be groomed and taken care of.” 

There’s two long scars almost, the skin pink and a little discoloured but clear as day. Hongbin kneads the skin around them, making Hakyeon sigh, turning his head to the side, his eyes closed. This isn’t how he thought his Thursday morning would be going but Hakyeon physically relaxing under his touch and talking softly to him beats going to the fucking bank. 

“You make yourself sound like a bird,” Hongbin muses. He kisses Hakyeon’s shoulders because he can and hears a content sigh from the demon, making him smile against his skin, warm and pretty. He has to push up his glasses a lot but whatever.

“It’s a little similar,” Hakyeon answers, eyes still closed as Hongbin works the muscles into softening. “Our wings aren’t always visible and some demons don’t have them at all. But they can get dirty and such, just like your hair or your body. The feathers shed too and we have to groom them so the new ones can come back in without pain.”

“Growing your feathers back can hurt?” Hongbin is surprised by that; he had thought demons just left feathers because they felt like it, not because they physically shed them. He has a few demon feathers, even some of Hakyeon’s now, saving them for whatever spell calls for them but he’ll have to write this information later into his journal. “I didn’t know that.”

“Many people don’t think much of it,” Hakyeon answers, yawning softly. “Angels don’t shed their feathers at all. It’s just another thing demons can’t beat them at. All angels have wings and can never hide them. It’s their pride in a way; they don’t have the ability to hide what God has given them, but demons can.”

Hongbin cocks his head to the side, hopping off Hakyeon to lie down next to him, a frown etching his features. “Do you… like your wings?”

“I’ve grown used to them,” Hakyeon answers, deflecting. He reaches up to push Hongbin’s glasses up. “You look nice.”

“That wasn’t my question,” Hongbin whispers, staring into his eyes and choosing to ignore that comment. Hakyeon’s have returned to their abyss of black, negative and unblinking. “Do you like how you look as a demon?”

Hakyeon takes a breath and the movement of his eyes makes Hongbin realise that he’s looking away. He drags his gaze back with a hand on Hakyeon’s cheek, pressing closer to him as the demon rolls onto his side. “I was never human. This is how I have always looked, whoever it is. My wings… They were small when I first came about but it’s strange to call this body mine when I don’t know who’s face I am wearing. How I look to you… It’s who you know me to be but it can change in a split second.” His entire figure ripples and Hakyeon is now someone Hongbin doesn’t recognise at all, long black hair and pretty green eyes. Somehow, he’s still Hakyeon and his voice is the exact same when he speaks. “I could be anyone that you’d want and you would never know the difference. Angels don’t shapeshift but anything they can’t do, demons can do. That would be a good thing, you would think, but it only means we are the sins, the negatives that angels cannot perform. My existence is wrong.”

Hongbin stares at him and instead of replying, kisses Hakyeon, no matter the face he wears. Hakyeon is Hakyeon and that’s enough for Hongbin. “Angels are monsters too,” he says, searching Hakyeon’s eyes. “They may be holy, beautiful, all powerful, whatever you want to call them. But they are monsters too. Humans are monsters.” He watches as Hakyeon returns to the form he knows him best in and smiles warily. “You and I are no different, in a way. We’ve both sinned and we never will stop sinning. But that doesn’t make us not exist, does it?”

Hakyeon looks down, his hand on Hongbin’s as he melts into the touch. “It’s… You’ve been killing things like me, like Taekwoon, since high school. I’ve- The amount of souls I’ve taken... “ He squeezes his eyes shut, frowning. “I won’t apologise for it because it is what I am. I’m a demon and I’ve only ever been a demon. I’ll be a demon for as long as this world lives, but does it… You are not bothered by it?”

Hongbin snorts before he can stop himself, slapping a hand over his mouth. Hakyeon looks surprised but smiles too, unable to stop himself. “I don’t mind,” he answers truthfully. “It’s not my usual criteria but I don’t mind. Do you mind that I’m human?”

“It’s difficult when I have to travel between dimensions,” Hakyeon jokes, earning a slap in the chest from Hongbin that makes him choke. “But no, I don’t mind it. You’re beautiful, inside and out.”

“Even when I’m covered in hellhound blood and shifter bile?”

“Oh, especially then,” Hakyeon says, scrunching up his nose to show his teeth. “Especially when you whine about it and I have to wash it out of your hair.”

Hongbin tries to wrestle with him but it mostly ends in failure until they’re too caught up in tickling each other to realise they’re going to fall off the bed and Hakyeon is above him, straddling his hips with a wicked smirk that shouldn’t make Hongbin’s stomach swirl but it does, wonderfully so. His ears flush when Hakyeon kisses him, his fingers clenched into his own shirt that Hakyeon is wearing. He just looks like a boyfriend and Hongbin surges with pride in such a weird way that it makes him laugh. 

Hakyeon hums, mumbling nonsense into his mouth until Hongbin whines that they need to get up. He kisses Hongbin’s nose before sitting back up, clearly feeling better. “You should wear your glasses more often. You look very grown up. Very attractive.”

Hongbin sits up, Hakyeon’s arms circling his neck comfortably, the two of them gazing at each other for no rhyme or reason at all. It’s not normal, what they are together but it’s their normal and Hongbin finds that he doesn't want it to change. He doesn't want Hakyeon to be human or anything else other than what he is because although he's a demon, Hongbin feels safe around him. His tattoos don't burn him when Hakyeon touches him, they sing across his skin when Hakyeon’s fingertips guide over the ink, making it sink further into his skin, enighting it and turning the black lines golden to match his eyes that Hongbin gets lost in.

“I should wear them more often,” Hongbin says quietly, helping himself up when Hakyeon stands as well. He's clearly feeling better but his wings stay hidden, magic buzzing around them, lighting a fire in Hongbin’s veins. “My eyes aren't fantastic.”

Hakyeon hums, walking into the kitchen with the intent to cook breakfast but they end up just eating toast because Hakyeon’s bones are jelly and Hongbin isn't that hungry. Hakyeon stretches out on the floor as much as he can't without his wings blocking anything or pushing the couch against the wall. Hongbin returns back to his newspaper but he opens up the journal, getting Hakyeon to confirm or deny the facts that they know about demons. Most of them are right but some only apply to certain types of demons, like the exorcism. 

“If you tried that on me, it wouldn't work,” Hakyeon says, his eyes closed. He looks like a starfish. “You have to change the Latin for it to work.”

Hongbin takes note of that, continuing through the lists and spells. Eventually, Hakyeon rolls over and his irises are blood red, looking more like a wolf than a demon. His wings tuck in and disappear and he stands up, scanning the page in front of Hongbin. “Crossroads demons have red and amber eyes. We can switch. All demons have completely black eyes but only crossroads demons can change their eyes at will.” His handwriting looks pretty neat compared to Hongbin’s disgusting chicken scratch but it’s easy to read. Hakyeon’s eyes return to their natural brown, pretty and settling.

Hakyeon flicks through the journal and he's an incredibly fast reader, correcting and adding in facts about werewolves, vampires, shapeshifters, angels, even adding extensively to the page for nephilims, something Hongbin has never encountered and never wants to encounter. They take no physical human form, only their true form of demonic and angelic power, making them horrifying, full of sharp teeth, anywhere between two to ten wings, tails and talons. They sound more like dragons than anything but apparently, those also exist, Hongbin just hasn't met one yet.

“Virgins,” Hakyeon mutters as he writes down _Dragons_ in neat cursive. “That's all the really want so they can either eat them or sacrifice them. It depends on the dragon but it’s usually girls that they take. But some aren't harmful. I met one that took a boy a few years back from a horrible house and they just live in peace together.” 

Hongbin raises his eyebrows, bewildered that Hakyeon knows so much but he has been alive since pretty much the beginning of time so Hongbin can't exactly complain. He's fascinating in that way, clever beyond what Hongbin can comprehend and he finds it ridiculously attractive even though it’s just Hakyeon’s basic knowledge of all other creatures. He purrs when Hakyeon threads his fingers through his hair, working out the knots and soothing his scalp, the tension melting from his shoulders this time.

Hakyeon’s voice is soft when he speaks next. “What do you hope will happen when you meet Taekwoon?”

Hongbin swallows, hanging his head as Hakyeon’s fingers work on the nobs of his spine. “I think I'd- I should thank him for not killing me, shouldn't I?” He laughs when Hakyeon pokes his side. “I don't know. He’s… He's not exactly going anywhere so I don't want to screw this up. Sanghyuk really likes him… so I need to make the effort.”

“No one is asking you to forget what happened,” Hakyeon says quietly, stroking Hongbin’s cheek with his knuckle. “If it’s uncomfortable, you don't have to force yourself, okay?”

“I know.” Hongbin knows it’s going to be a rocky start but it’s been months and Taekwoon has been civil with him, waving and bowing to him whenever they seem to see each other. He keeps his distance, only faintly making Hongbin’s runes tickle and Hongbin appreciates the boundaries that the vampire has set for them both. He never invites himself or tries to engage in conversation past how are you? and it’s what Hongbin needs right now. He won't have a perfect relationship with Taekwoon but his brother isn't stupid and it’s not farfetched to assume that Hongbin would do anything for his brother. If that means making friends with a vampire, Hongbin will do it. 

Hakyeon tilts his head, peering at him quizzically. “You can call for me, okay? If you feel pressured, upset-”

Hongbin hums at him, closing his eyes. He doesn't mention the irony that both angels and demons come when you call for them, summoned and drawn to humans. Hakyeon had appeared in the middle of the night when Hongbin was half asleep, whispering his name just to hear how it sounded and then he was right in front of him, scaring Hongbin so bad he fell off the bed and smacked his head on the bedside table. Then Hakyeon had to take care of him because Hongbin managed to give himself a concussion, but Hakyeon offering to find him if he feels uncomfortable brings him strength somehow.

“Thank you,” he finds himself whispering, kissing Hakyeon when the demon leans down and seals their lips together, only chaste but full of meaning. It’s a thank you in return, special and just for the two of them.


	9. nine

Hongbin feels like a fucking school girl waiting to confess to her crush as he stands outside Sanghyuk’s apartment, shaking and clenching his fingers around his phone. If he squeezes any harder, he thinks he might break it but it’s the phone company’s fault for making the damn things so fucking thin nowadays. He’s sweating cold, his heart beating too fast and he can feel Taekwoon’s presence inside, can hear Sanghyuk’s voice murmuring to him and Taekwoon suddenly laughs, airy and pretty and Sanghyuk chuckles back before Hongbin swallows his fear and knocks on the door. He promised he would do this, promised Sanghyuk he would _try._ Hakyeon is waiting for him when he’s done, this is normal.

Taekwoon opens the door with flourish, his eyes lighting up as he smiles softly at Hongbin, non-judgemental and kind. He hopes his own smile doesn’t seem too forced and he follows Taekwoon inside, Sanghyuk coming up to greet him with a hug that feels way too much like home. Hongbin relaxes into his hold, squeezing him a little too tight but Sanghyuk knows. When he pulls away, he smiles reassuringly at him, sensing his discomfort and wanting to make it better.

Taekwoon greets him too, keeping his hands to himself, keeping his entire presence a safe distance from Hongbin but he ducks his head as Hongbin does too. “Hello,” he says softly and he sits down on the couch, Hongbin joining him but not too close.

Hongbin’s nervous, his hands shaking and his leg bouncing up and down and Taekwoon looks scared to even open his mouth but he’s trying his hardest and it makes Hongbin want to try harder too. “It’s nice to meet you,” he murmurs but Taekwoon hears him loud and clear, nodding to him. No doubt his hearing is extraordinary too. “Finally meet you, I mean.”

It’s awkward but the diligence is obvious. Taekwoon confesses that he had been wary and had wanted to leave before Hongbin even showed up; he can’t really blame him, honestly. Hongbin was contemplating leaving before he even knocked on the damn door. It would have been a lot worse if Sanghyuk wasn’t with them but right now, Hongbin is keeping to himself, his wards scratching at him from the inside out, whining to try and make him leave but they’re starting to make his arms tingle instead of burn. Taekwoon is keeping his distance, respectively as he can and after some time, his wards are comfortably warm, his skin no long irritated. Sanghyuk is sitting opposite them, behind the coffee table, watching them like hawk.

Taekwoon inches on the couch and Sanghyuk springs up, disappearing for a moment. When he returns, it’s with a cup of coffee for Taekwoon, hot and steaming. Sanghyuk smiles when the vampire accepts it, admiration and love bright in his eyes and Taekwoon flushes, distracting himself with his coffee.

“Hyogi… He told me some things,” Hongbin says once Taekwoon has put down his cup, glancing between the two of them. They’re such a weird combination but fitting and perfect at the same time. “You’re friends with a human and a werewolf. And you have been for years.”

Taekwoon doesn’t try to fight the smile that graces his features, his eyes sparkling. There’s a shift of amber in them but it disappears as quickly as it flashed. “Jaehwan and Wonshik, respectively.” He launches into a story about how they met, how Taekwoon attempted to feed from Jaehwan before Wonshik had almost killed him in retaliation. He talks about how Wonshik now works in a university, avoiding the nights when the full moon is present in the sky and how Wonshik and Jaehwan have been together for so long, beautifully in love. He tells Hongbin about how he hunts, how he grew up over the years, even how he was turned into a vampire, which surprises him. Taekwoon is open with him, nothing to hide from him. Hongbin knows he deserves an explanation but Taekwoon deserves his forgiveness too, his own prejudice staining Taekwoon’s reputation before it had a chance to be created.

“I know that it’s… difficult,” Taekwoon admits, looking down into his lap at his hands when Hongbin leans back into the couch. “I respect what you do. I agree with what you do; living in harmony is what everyone should want.” He swallows, looking over at Sanghyuk for comfort. “When Sanghyuk was attacked, I didn’t think to save him. I just… _did_ it.” He looks up at Hongbin, his eyes welling up slightly. “I never mean to make you upset, or hurt you or anyth-”

“You saved me,” Hongbin interrupts him, his eyes wide. They mirror each other, Taekwoon’s eyes accented with yellow and unblinking as he stares at Hongbin, almost innocent. He looks pure, his white frilly shirt unstained and pretty, his skin perfect and unmarked by scars or cuts. “When- Back then. You helped me, with the shifters.”

Taekwoon blinks finally and smiles softly. It’s a weird thing to smile at since that night ended with Hongbin shooting Taekwoon in the fucking head but in an instant, Hongbin is able to chuckle softly about it. He and Taekwoon don’t touch or hug, it’s not like them at all and not familiar but they’re able to smile at each other, Taekwoon’s teeth stark white and his canines sharper than most but he looks _normal,_ human in the most unsettling way. It’s something Hongbin will have to get used to and it’s something he _knows_ Sanghyuk is in love with, but Taekwoon isn’t hostile; he’s never been hostile to either of them even in their most weakest moments and Hongbin wants to trust him, _has it in him_ to trust a vampire. He just needs to hold that trust tightly and give it to Taekwoon when he’s ready. He hopes he’ll be ready sooner rather than later.

“I’m trying,” he says quietly, all eyes on him.

Taekwoon nods, completely understanding. He won’t push; if he does, Hongbin will never come back and Sanghyuk will suffer even more and they both don’t want that. If Sanghyuk is upset, both of them will hurt for him. “I know. I am trying, as well. I want to trust you.”

“I want that too,” Hongbin manages, smiling softly. Taekwoon’s presence is pleasant somehow, poetic in a way Hongbin can’t comprehend in words but feels in his aura, the vampire relaxed now. It’s something to think on; Taekwoon is not dangerous. He never was and he never will be and Hongbin just needs to teach himself to remember that.

He leaves before anything more can progress, his mind reeling too much for him to settle his nerves comfortably. He’s got a headache just from the energy in the room, both Taekwoon’s own energy and Hongbin’s runes starting to scream at him but Sanghyuk hugs him at the door, tight and brotherly, smacking his shoulders like he’s trying to slap the soul out of him. Hongbin heaves a laugh as he does, having missed this brutish but familiar kind of interaction between the two of them the most. Hakyeon hugs and cuddles like Hongbin is the most precious thing in the world and will break if he’s not careful which is nice when Hongbin feels like he’s fragile. Sanghyuk hugs him like he wants the breath to be squeezed out of him, so he can make Hongbin wheeze and tap out. It’s juvinelle and horrifically idiotic but it’s what Hongbin needs, what he carves right now. Hakyeon’s embrace is a different type of coming home, something new that he took his time to fall in love with and Sanghyuk’s embrace is family and love, love he’s always grown up with.

“I’ll text you,” Sanghyuk says when they part in the hallway. Hongbin has the urge to kiss his forehead but that would be weird and he’s not tall enough to do that comfortably. Sanghyuk grew up in front of his eyes in a flash and it makes him proud and sad at the same time, the little boy Hongbin coddled into playing soccer with him now a man in front of him, his baby brother taller and stronger than him. It’s impressive, Sanghyuk growing from a scrawny little boy to an adult, strong and experienced.

“I love you,” Hongbin blurts quickly before Sanghyuk can close the door.

His brother raises his eyebrows before breaking into a grin, back to the boyish youth Hongbin knows so well. “I love you, too, hyung. You’re a loser.”

“Shut up,” Hongbin chuckles, finally walking away. He shoves his hands into his pockets and hears the door click shut behind him, his phone already out and dialling Hakyeon to ask him to pick up some fried chicken. He wants a lazy evening and he’s going to get one with his chaotic demon boyfriend if it’s the last thing he does.

After months of hardship, things are getting better for the two of them, Hongbin living with a hell abiding demon and Sanghyuk living with an immortal blood drinking vampire. Their lives have always been weird but never this weird. 

But Hongbin knows he loves it somehow, knows that Sanghyuk is happier than he ever would have been with just Hongbin, fighting and killing monsters until their karma caught up with them and sent them into a pit together. They’re better off this way, even if it’s going to take Hongbin a little while to settle himself down with Taekwoon. He’s going to try anything he can because Sanghyuk is important to him, too important for him to lose again.

He makes it home easily, already sensing Hakyeon’s energy inside and when he’s inside, his coat hanging up and his shoes in the doorway, Hakyeon shakes the bag of takeout chicken and Hongbin falls onto the couch next to him, kissing him without a word spoken between them besides a simple _welcome home._

“How did it go?” Hakyeon asks quietly, Hongbin’s fingers tucking his hair behind his ear as he moves in closer, not quite kissing but their lips brushing when they speak. “Did it work out?”

“It’ll get there,” Hongbin whispers, closing his eyes as he rests his forehead against Hakyeon’s. “We’ve got time.”

Hakyeon hums, his smile soft but radiant and filling Hongbin with hope deep in his stomach, playing his heartstrings just for the demon in front of him. It should feel wrong, taboo in a way, but Hongbin gave Hakyeon the key to his heart a long time ago and he knows where it’s kept. Hongbin keeps Hakyeon’s key in the same place, deep in his soul.

“It will get cold,” Hakyeon warns when Hongbin pulls him closer, on top of him just to hold him and look into his eyes. “You wanted it.”

“I don’t care,” Hongbin breathes, wrapping his arms around Hakyeon’s neck to prevent him from getting up and leaving him. “I want something else, now.”

Hakyeon smiles at him, his teeth sharp but it doesn’t make Hongbin scared. Hakyeon has never been something to fear, something Hongbin should quake in the presence of. He’s always been just Hakyeon, a demon but someone Hongbin loves wholeheartedly. It just took him a long time to realise it. He hopes Hakyeon feels the same way.

“I do, too,” Hakyeon grins at him, answering the unspoken question. 

Hongbin rolls his eyes, Hakyeon having read his mind without all the invasive bullshit of every monster culling his mind but when Hakyeon kisses him, coaxes his mouth open and tastes him, Hongbin can feel the truth, _sense_ it. He can feel it in the way Hakyeon’s fingers dance across his ribs under his shirt, his palms warm and making his tattoos pulse and sing to the tuning of Hakyeon’s touch. Hakyeon loves him, loves all of him and Hongbin loves him too.

His life is far from perfect but with Hakyeon, it’s pretty damn close to it. Hongbin’s never had love like this before and he’s selfish enough to grab onto it and hold it close so long as Hakyeon is willing to give it to him. He knows Hakyeon is willing to give him anything. He already gave him his heart and refused his soul. Hongbin couldn’t be more thankful for Hakyeon’s refusal but he’s grateful that Hakyeon took something else, took his love and made a fire out of it.

He loves a demon and he has no regrets about it because that demon loves him too, won’t stop loving him for some time. 

Hongbin is happy for the first time in a very long time.

 

***

 

Once Hongbin is gone, the second Sanghyuk shuts the door and locks it, Taekwoon is in his space and holding him firmly, his hands on his cheeks and drawing him in for a kiss. Sanghyuk takes it because why would he not? But he pulls away when Taekwoon is close enough to the couch for him to push him down and straddle his hips easily. Their positions are usually reversed but like this, Sanghyuk is able to look down at Taekwoon, hold his face and gaze at him any way he likes.

It’s not meant to be sexual and Taekwoon’s hands on his thighs are more of a comfort than anything else. He cups Taekwoon’s cheeks this time, pressing their foreheads together and closes his eyes, their breathes mingling together between them in the sweetest way possible.

“Are you okay?” Sanghyuk whispers, pulling back to look into Taekwoon’s yellow eyes, the amber making his stomach flip and his heartbeat a little bit faster, a fact he knows Taekwoon can feel, can _hear._ “Was that okay?”

“More than okay,” Taekwoon breathes, surging up to kiss him firmly. “If you’re okay, then I am, too.”

Sanghyuk grimaces at the use of his own words against him but smiles when Taekwoon kisses him again, firm and chaste. Being with Taekwoon feels like coming home and he never wants to stop feeling this way, the impossible becoming the possible in front of his eyes. Taekwoon has given him forever and Sanghyuk is holding onto it with an iron grip, refusing to let it slip from his fingers if he has any say in it. He gave Taekwoon his own forever too and he hopes he’ll keep it in his heart for however long he walks the earth.

It’s scary to think that one day, Sanghyuk will be gone but Taekwoon will still be here, on this earth, looking like he always has, not a day over twenty-seven. It’s scary but somehow beautiful at the same time. Taekwoon has been alive for so long but right now, he’s choosing Sanghyuk, choosing to love Sanghyuk and give him the pocket of time that will only ever belong to him. This period in Taekwoon’s timeline belongs wholeheartedly to Sanghyuk and he will never take that for granted.

“I love you,” Sanghyuk whispers, his mouth speeding faster than his brain can comprehend and when he says it, he surprises himself but he doesn’t regret anything. He knows how he feels, how he’s felt for a long time and Taekwoon deserves to know it.

Taekwoon stares at him, his lips pink and pouty and he shakes his head with a smile, his eyes welling up with tears. It should be scary- to anyone else, it would be, but to Sanghyuk, it’s stunning in the most peculiar way possible. “You shouldn’t, Sanghyuk.”

“But I do.” His voice is urgent but it’s okay if Taekwoon needs more time. He loves him enough to wait for him. They’ve got time.

“I know,” Taekwoon whispers, gazing into his eyes. “I love you, too. I tried to think that I didn’t but I can’t deny it.”

Sanghyuk grins at him, kissing him firmly again and again until it hurts too much. He settles for softly kissing wherever he can reach and Taekwoon’s hands run up and down his thighs, up his back and on his hips, gripping a little too tight but just enough to leave a mark for a little while. Taekwoon won’t bruise but the little red marks Sanghyuk leaves on his neck are memories they both won’t forget, marks that Sanghyuk will never stop leaving even if the outcome doesn’t last. They last on Sanghyuk and Taekwoon makes note of that, his neck and chest an array of purple, blue and red hues by the end of the night.

When it’s finally time for them to go to bed, they do, bare and confined to each other. Sanghyuk’s back stings from Taekwoon’s nails when he lays down but Taekwoon is unmarked and pretty, laying on his chest and dipping his fingers into any mark that will make Sanghyuk squirm for a few seconds. It’s not quite late, Taekwoon won’t sleep for some time and neither will he but being in the moment, his skin littered with marks that make him belong to Taekwoon gets him thinking, especially with Taekwoon’s face tucked into his neck like it always is, his favourite position to sleep in.

“You can feed from me,” Sanghyuk whispers but it isn’t the right thing to offer or say. Taekwoon stills under his grip and lifts himself, looking into Sanghyuk’s eyes with uncertainty. The blanket slips from his shoulders and Sanghyuk stares into his amber eyes, suddenly fearful of the conversation, not of him.

“Please don't ask me that,” Taekwoon whispers back, his eyes impossibly wide. For a vampire, avoiding the scent and _sound_ of someone’s blood is very hard and yet right now, it seems like the last thing Taekwoon wants to hear. He’s grimacing, like he only just realised that Sanghyuk is human. “Don't ask me that.”

“I will let you,” Sanghyuk reassures but Taekwoon shakes his head, pulling away from him. “You can feed from me, Taekwoon. I want you to. I’m giving you that trust.”

Taekwoon stares at him before he swallows thickly, his eyes watery and he begins to shake a little, drawing in on himself. Sanghyuk can only see his back and he reaches out to soothe a hand down his bare spine, making Taekwoon roll his shoulders back. “Sanghyuk, I can't. My venom will kill you if I’m not careful.”

Sanghyuk pauses, the cogs in his head turning suddenly. Taekwoon glances at him over his shoulder and starts to shake his head before Sanghyuk can even open his mouth. He knows what Sanghyuk will ask, he knows him too well. 

“You would turn me,” he says, ignoring Taekwoon’s frantic denial. “Would that be so bad? For me to be a vampire?”

“I’ve never turned anyone!” Taekwoon screams at him, his fangs popping involuntarily. He looks animalistic, his hair dishevelled from Sanghyuk’s own hands and his fangs, long and glinting in the lowlight of the bedroom. He doesn't know how to handle any of this and Sanghyuk distantly thinks that maybe he would hate to be a vampire, to live like Taekwoon, and Taekwoon would hate himself for giving him that life. “I was never taught how… how to be a vampire. It’s been over four hundred years and I still don't know. I can't give you that pain. I’ll never give you my pain.”

Sanghyuk watches him closely, quizzically. He's not completely serious and Taekwoon knows that but he has been thinking. He didn’t want a fight and he still doesn’t but after Hongbin coming by today, he started thinking. Hakyeon will live forever, won’t he? Hongbin and Sanghyuk will be alone whenever that happens, sharing the same fate like they always were destined to. Sanghyuk doesn’t want to think too much about it but what will Taekwoon do once he’s gone?

“You can't give me forever?” he asks, not unkindly but Taekwoon’s eyes are wide, whatever blood is still in him overflowing and he's going to cry if he doesn’t stop himself.

“You are my forever,” he says and Sanghyuk only stares, his mouth open but not speaking. “You are my forever, Sanghyuk. I can't give your forever because… Sanghyuk, think of Hongbin. Of Jaehwan and- and Wonshik. I won't take you from that. _They_ are your forever, not me.”

“But you'll outlive all of us and we have to deal with it?” Sanghyuk snaps because that's what's been bothering him. Taekwoon is immortal. Sanghyuk and Jaehwan will die, Wonshik following but Taekwoon will never die. He will never follow them and even though Sanghyuk won’t force him to go to wherever the fuck people go when they die, he’s still going to worry for Taekwoon when everyone’s time comes. Hongbin and Sanghyuk will go together because no matter what, that's what they do. There’s not a chance Wonshik and Jaehwan won’t leave together too - werewolves mate for life, after all. But Taekwoon will still be here when whatever descendants of Sanghyuk and Hongbin or even Jaehwan and Wonshik walk the earth, still looking like the twenty-seven year old man he was in the 1600s. _That’s_ what bothers him. He’s trying not to be selfish but Taekwoon has been alone for so long and now that he has Wonshik, Jaehwan, even Hongbin now to an extent, Sanghyuk doesn’t want him to be alone, to walk by himself again for eternity.

“I’m four hundred years old,” Taekwoon breathes, moving closer to him. Sanghyuk falls back onto the bed, his arms around Taekwoon’s back to keep him close, keep him from leaving. “I’m older than anyone in your family, Sanghyuk. I… “ He sniffs and his eyes are full of blood again, threatening to spill. It’s tragically beautiful but Sanghyuk is no poet; he can’t spin words about him like the books Taekwoon loves so much. “Right now, my forever is you.”

“Until it’s not,” Sanghyuk says. Taekwoon does cry, finally letting them fall but he looks at Sanghyuk, bloody and hurt. His chest will be stained with something different than the marks Taekwoon left for him to remember but Sanghyuk will cherish them all the same, even when the blood is washed away.

“In four hundred years, it’s never been anyone,” he tells him and Sanghyuk stops thinking for a moment, listening intently. “You are the first. I only know what… this, between us, feels like because of Jaehwan and Wonshik. I’ve never known love like this until I met you.”

Sanghyuk’s breath hitches and Taekwoon presses closer to him, for his own comfort more than Sanghyuk’s. This creature, this _man_ has been alive for four hundred years and yet, Sanghyuk is the one he chose to stay with, to love and hold through the nights where he would normally be alone. He chose a hunter, someone who kills his kind for a living, to love and cherish until he simply can’t because Sanghyuk is human. He will always be human. Taekwoon knew that going into this and it didn’t stop him, just like Taekwoon being a vampire never stopped Sanghyuk. 

“I want… I want to give you whatever I can,” Taekwoon whispers, almost sobbing. He lays down on Sanghyuk’s chest, full of shakes and Sanghyuk’s heart is pulling, drawn to only Taekwoon. He belongs only to Taekwoon. “For as long as I can. But I won’t… I can never turn you, Sanghyuk. I can’t make you live this way.”

“I understand.” It was selfish of him to ask but he had to, he had to know what Taekwoon would say, how he would feel. It’s going to fucking hurt but there’s no point in putting a deadline on a love he’s finally got after so much hardship. Sanghyuk was convinced he was going to die before he was thirty; now he only hopes that when he does go, Taekwoon is by his side. That will be enough. Taekwoon doesn’t have to change anything, never will change and he’ll be there no matter what happens between them. Taekwoon chose him to love for as long as Sanghyuk’s morality will allow and he knows that Taekwoon will fight for it, to stay with him through all the bullshit and the chaos, to keep him close night after night. 

Sanghyuk is no poet but Taekwoon is a piece that he will never stop spewing artistic words for, to the point where it makes no sense beyond complete and utter affection. Sanghyuk will love Taekwoon, love him until he simply fucking _can’t._ Maybe one day, he’ll leave the feelings he can’t comprehend right now in writing for Taekwoon to always keep with him, a reminder of the forever he spent with Sanghyuk, the human monster hunter that fell in love with a vampire.

“Will you remember me?” he asks, insecure, but Taekwoon lifts his head, his cheeks stained with blood and kisses Sanghyuk, his hands cupping his face gently like he’s something that will break if Taekwoon isn’t careful. It’s fierce and everything about it is pure and untainted love, Taekwoon giving him everything he possibly has, all that he can ever offer being given to Sanghyuk to take and take and take.

“I will,” Taekwoon says, breathless once they pull away. “Of course I will. Sanghyuk, I’ll-”

Sanghyuk pulls him closer and flips them over so he can shut Taekwoon up, kissing him all over his face before pecking his lips just once, staring at him. “That’s all I need to know. We’ll be okay. I’m sorry for bringing that up.”

Taekwoon sniffs, lets Sanghyuk wipe his tears away until they’re just gazing at each other, searching each other’s eyes for some shred of doubt but they both find nothing but hope and beauty. Taekwoon closes his eyes, leaning into Sanghyuk’s touch. Sanghyuk doesn’t think there’s enough words in any language to describe the feelings he has for Taekwoon, the love he holds for a monster of blood and fangs but a man of passion and energy. He fell hard for him, in over his head and he panicked for a moment until he just let himself release his feelings and dove head first into a clusterfuck of a life that gave rewarded him more than anything he’s ever experienced in his short life.

“I love you,” he hears Taekwoon whisper when Sanghyuk is laying on his chest, tracing patterns into his skin, red then white then nothing. “I love you, Sanghyuk.”

“I love you, too,” he replies, kissing his collarbone for good measure and knows Taekwoon is asleep when his body goes completely still under his finger tips, his heartbeat the only thing he can hear in the deafening silence of the apartment. But even with Taekwoon’s waking absence, Sanghyuk is home. Taekwoon is his home, his heart his foundation.

Falling in love with a vampire wasn’t the best decision when he first did it, but Sanghyuk would never take it away from himself if he had any say in it. Being with Taekwoon is limited but _being in love_ with Taekwoon…

It’s timeless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's... the end.
> 
> i know it's not over the top or super angsty or anything but there's some things that i wanted to leave open and some things i wanted to remain closed.
> 
> 1\. there was never going to be a chance of sanghyuk ever becoming a vampire. i felt as though it was too much of a cop out and not to mention, with hongbin's past, it would not have fit into the story. i wanted to completely dismiss any idea of it because it would serve more bad than good. i should hope that you agree with me
> 
> 2\. hongbin, jaehwan and sanghyuk will forever remain human. i wanted to keep the ending open in same ways in how sanghyuk is protected by taekwoon's energy like jaehwan is protected by wonshik's and hongbin is protected by hakyeon's. i hope that i made it clear that if any of them were to become immortal, they would all do it together, but the way this fic was planned out didn't aid me in that. 
> 
> 3\. i grappled with the ending for a while with one of my friends. i asked her if i should make them all immortal for a happy ending or something like that. she encouraged me to do what i felt was right and if i wanted to, i could have ended this differently but the storyline would have dragged on and i feel like this is a good place to end it, even if it's a little bittersweet. you're welcome to ask me anything about the story, the monsters or any of vixx if you'd like to know more because i'm completely open to tell you guys anything now that the story is over. if there's anything that confused you or didn't sit right with you, i can explain it and clear up any misleadings :)
> 
> that's all for now. i have other "normal" fics if you like my writing that you can check out lolol. thank you all for reading and giving this fic a chance. 
> 
> \-- snakebait.


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